Pat Rabbitte has rejected the idea that his retirement before the next general election, along with those of several other senior Labour figures, is a frantic escape from a sinking ship.
On Newstalk Lunchtime Jonathan Healy put it to the former Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources, that since his announcement many of his opponents had commented that Rabbitte’s retirement was akin to ‘rats leaving a sinking ship’, as senior figures shy from the challenge of a General Election when Labour's standing with the electorate has seldom been lower.
“I don’t think that anything could be further from the truth,” Mr Rabbitte said.
The cause of the departure of long-term Labour stalwarts such as Ruairi Quinn and Eamon Gilmore (both of whom have previously announced they will not stand in the next general election) is purely one of time, he argued.
“Ruairi Quinn must be 69 .. Eamon Gilmore is the Tánaiste that stepped down.
“People in other walks of life could retire at 69 and it doesn’t warrant comment,” he said.
“It is the age profile.”
The former Labour leader informed party members of his decision at a selection convention last night.
LISTEN: Pat Rabbitte TD on Lunchtime
A recent opinion poll showed that Mr Rabbitte would secure his seat if he ran again and he was bullish in insisting the party will retain one of its current two seats in Dublin South-West, where he has been a representative for 26 years.
“The prospect of the general election and my winning is not the issue.
“We have a human capital and other capital by dint of our hard work (in the area).
“We won’t hold two, we’ll hold one and I’m absolutely satisfied and comfortable with that.”
Discussing the arena he leaves Labour in, Rabbitte called the “branch of ultra left politics” of parties that have emerged in recent years as a rival to Labour on the Left “essentially Trotskyite in its philosophy and ideology”. The left wing groups currently enjoying success with the Irish electorate, he argued, are “not interested in rational politics or deal making. They’re interested in division, protest and power from the picket line, as they put it.”
Discussing Labour’s work in recent years, Rabbitte said Labour “helped “helped push this country back from the brink.
“We were driving the ambulance, we didn’t cause the crash ... we got the body and we resuscitated it.”
Rabbitte also discussed Irish Water, and his continued belief in the project, Labour’s decisions in the last four years, and his relationship with current party leader Joan Burton.
