KILDARE SOUTH, 20 May 2002: by Brian Byrne. Alan Dukes is leaving politics after serving as a Fine Gael deputy in Dail Eireann for 21 years. He made his decision following his very narrow defeat for the third seat in Kildare South, by Labour's Jack Wall. (He is pictured on the right with Fianna Fail deputy Sean Power, who was the first elected last weekend.)
Speaking on RTE radio, Mr Dukes told Pat Kenny that 21 years in politics was long enough. He was sad for all the Fine Gael workers and supporters who had helped in the recent campaign, he said, but he intimated that he wasn't at all down about the result himself.
During his 21 years as a Kildare TD, deputy Dukes served as leader of Fine Gael, and also held ministerial portfolioes in agriculture, finance, justice, and transport energy & communications.
Prior to entering politics, he worked in Brussels for the IFA.
