'I am job hunting' - Outgoing FG Minister Jim Daly focussing on next career move
Fine Gael Minister Jim Daly has issued a public appeal for job offers as he prepares to exit politics.
Opening up about his decision to leave politics after 16 years Mr Daly has said he would still encourage his children to run for office despite the toll it has taken on his own personal life.
While he said he has no idea what he will do when he stands down ahead of the General Election, he will not be returning to his previous careers as a teacher or a publican.
“I am job hunting, so if anybody out there has anything that they would consider me for I'd be delighted to hear from them.
“I hand on heart don’t know [what I will do] so if any of your readers are reading this and have any kind of a job offer I would be delighted.”
Announcing his decision to bow out of politics at the age of just 46, Mr Daly earlier this year cited his five children aged between six and 16. He said he felt that he had put politics first for many years and it was now time to prioritise his family.
Speaking to the the Cork South West TD said: ”For me personally to stay on top of my game and to continue to give it my all wasn't going to be possible because of the demands of the journey time and family.
I could have lessened my commitment to politics and I could have, you know, made it more of a part-time job and spent more time at home with my family and be less time on the road. But for me, that wouldn't be the right way to do it.
Mr Daly said the days of the career politician, such as Enda Kenny, who was elected to the Dáil for many decades is now over as voters will not let that happen.
But he added: “If my own son said to me 'dad I would love to go into politics’, I'd be the first encourage him."
Asked about what was seen as a controversial to back Leo Varadkar over Simon Coveney in the Fine Gael leadership race of 2017, he said: “I can never understand the basis of that question and it's going to follow me until the day I die - this thing of Leo and Simon.
“The idea that I would devolve the responsibility to a graphical thing I think is very lazy, shoddy, that I would just say Simon is closer to me geographically, I will vote for him.
I was being asked to vote for who I believed would make the best leader. I may have been right I may have been wrong.
"I believed at the time that Leo Varadkar would be the best leader of Fine Gael when he was put alongside Simon Coveney.
“I made a choice between the two and I opted for Leo, do I have any regrets? Absolutely none.”
