Louth deputy Peter Fitzpatrick will not contest the next general election

“It is with a mix of emotions, a deep sense of responsibility and reflection that I announce that I will not contest the next general election”, he said in a statement released this morning at 7.46am.

Peter Fitzpatrick was first elected to Dáil Eireann at the 2011 General Election on behalf of Fine Gael, but he has contested the next two elections as an independent.

His announcement means that three of Louth’s five sitting TDs will not contest the next election, with Fine Gael’s Fergus O’Dowd and Sinn Féin’s Imelda Munster have previously announced their decision to step down.

For many local observers the decision does not come as a big surprise following the past year which has been challenging politically and in the sporting arena, as he stepped down as Chairman of Louth County Board at their annual convention, following delays in the development in the new County Stadium in Dundalk, a project the former Louth player and manager spear-headed with unbridled passion and…