Simon Coveney has confirmed he is retiring from politics and will not run in the next general election.
The Enterprise Minister is the latest high-profile Fine Gael name to bow out of politics.
Mr Coveney thanked members in his Cork constituency, saying being elected for 26 years has been 'the privilege of his life'.
"I will forever be grateful for the faith people in Cork South Central have put in me.
"Now is the right time for renewal in FG and for me to change direction," he added.
Today I write to FG members in my constituency to say thank you.
Being elected for 26 yrs has been the privilege of my life. I will forever be grateful for the faith people in CorkSouthCentral have put in me.
Now is the right time for renewal in FG & for me to change direction. pic.twitter.com/4occw2d0PO— Simon Coveney (@simoncoveney) July 10, 2024
Mr Coveney said he feels it is time to change direction.
"I've enjoyed virtually every day of it - but I think I've always been somebody who believes that sometimes is the right time to change direction in life," he said.
"Since I've been working from the age of 25 I've been in politics.
"I think given what's happening in politics today and in my own political party - a process of renewal, a new leader, a new Taoiseach, lots of young talent in the party... I think the right thing for me to do is to make way for some of that and to look for new horizons myself".
Mr Coveney said he was "thinking for sometime" before Simon Harris was elected leader of Fine Gael whether he would run again or not.
"When the leadership change happened in Fine Gael it was a trigger moment for me to look to the future - both politically and outside of politics - and say, 'Now's a good time to leave on my own terms'," he said.
"I certainly don't want to be hanging around in politics for any longer than I'm making a significant contribution," he added.
Simon Coveney is seen in Brussels, Belgium at an EU Foreign Affairs Council meeting in February 2022. Image: European UnionPrior to December 2022 Mr Coveney was the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Defence.
He also previously served as Tánaiste from November 2017 to June 2020.
He's also held the ministerial portfolio for Housing, Planning and Local Government as well as Agriculture.
Simon Coveney was first elected to the Dáil in 1998 as one of Fine Gael’s youngest TDs.
He also chaired the Fine Gael Policy Development Committee before the 2011 general election.
He has been married Ruth Furney since 2008 and they have three daughters.
Earlier this year Mr Coveney announced that he was stepping down as a Cabinet minister following Leo Varadkar's resignation as Taoiseach.
He is the 12th sitting Fine Gael TD to confirm that he will not be running for the next Government.
