Simon Coveney to stand down at next Irish election

Former Tánaiste (Deputy Prime Minister) Simon Coveney has announced he will not stand in the next Irish general election.

Mr Coveney was a prominent figure representing the Republic of Ireland during Brexit negotiations.

The 52-year-old Cork South Central TD (MP) was first elected to the Dáil (lower house of Parliament) in a by-election in 1998.

He has served as a minister for agriculture, foreign affairs and most recently enterprise.

As tánaiste and foreign affairs minister Mr Coveney was a frequent visitor to Northern Ireland.

He was involved in talks over Brexit and also attempts to restore Northern Ireland's devolved institutions at Stormont during the period of collapse between 2017 and 2020 along with Northern Ireland Secretary Julian Smith.

These efforst succeeded with the New Decade, New Approach deal of January 2020.

When Simon Harris was appointed taoiseach (prime minister) earlier this year, Mr Coveney said he did not want to continue in the cabinet, in order to allow the new Fine Gael leader pick new ministers.

Speaking to Irish broadcaster RTÉ, he said it was time to "step out of politics and seek new horizons" and that it had been an "extraordinary privilege" to serve his constituency for 26 years.