Catherine Murphy and Róisín Shortall, veterans of Dáil with nearly half a century of political service combined, are set to retire from politics at the forthcoming election. The absence they will leave behind may prove challenging for the Social Democrats to fill.
Shortall, who has served as a TD for close to 32 years, has successfully retained her seat in each general election since her initial victory in 1992 – an impressive accomplishment. Residents of Shortall’s Dublin North West constituency have grown familiar and comfortable with her presence on their ballot papers. Many believe she has become an established fixture in their political landscape.
When asked on Tuesday about potential replacements for Shortall in the Dublin North West area, many party officials were uncertain. Councillor Mary Callaghan, who was re-elected in Ballymun-Finglas in recent local elections, is one person who may be considered for the role.
The main issue is that very few from the Social Democrats beyond the front bench harness the national visibility that Shortall has cultivated over the years. As the forthcoming general election draws near, the consequence of losing Shortall’s personal impact, despite still having a left-oriented voter base that may prefer a Social Democrat in Dublin North West, is expected to be felt considerably.
Kildare North faces a comparable situation, where Catherine Murphy’s retirement will prompt a group of councillors eager to fill her spot. Murphy, who has been actively involved in local politics since 1983, is known for her keen attention to intricate financial issues as a member of the Public Accounts Committee. As the party recently increased its presence on Kildare County Council by three seats to a total of seven, one or possibly two of these politicians may be chosen at a selection convention.
Finding successors for these two seasoned female politicians could be a formidable task. Another pressing question is how the Social Democrats may fare after these two step down at the upcoming general election.
While a merger with the Labour Party remains highly unlikely as party leader Holly Cairns staunchly opposes the idea, their retirement is not expected to drastically alter major policies since both resigned as co-leaders last year.
A significant alteration will be experienced by the younger members of the parliamentary party, who will lose two mentors along with decades of institutional knowledge and experience just in time for a key election.