Leadership

Kenny ‘greatly saddened’ by Lee’s decision to leave FG

08.02.2010
Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny has said he is “greatly saddened” by George Lee’s decision to resign from the party and from politics.

The Dublin South TD announced earlier today that he was resigning from Fine Gael and giving up his seat in Dáil Eireann with immediate effect after just nine months in politics.

In a statement today, Kenny outlined the roles he had given Lee during his time at Fine Gael.

He said he had appointed Lee to chair Fine Gael’s Economic and Business Affairs Committee which all members of the Party could attend and which was designed to act as a core group in developing Fine Gael economic policy for the next General Election.

“During a period of great political uncertainty, when a General Election seemed imminent, George played a very important role in chairing our business and economic Forums around the country before Christmas,” Kenny said, adding that these forums had played “an integral part” in planning the party’s pre-budget submission.

“George, along with our other economic spokesmen, planned and presented that Fine Gael position to the media at budget time,” Kenny added.

Kenny also said he had anticipated “a very important role” for Lee in the coming period with Fine Gael “after a time of settling into a new career in politics”.

“As part of our economic team George was due to attend the OECD later this week together with a senior Fine Gael delegation. Regrettably that, and other developments, will not now happen after George's decision today.

“While I regret his decision I would like, on a personal level, to wish George and his family well in the future,” Kenny added.

No input in economic policies at Fine Gael
In a statement issued earlier today, Lee explained his decision to leave Fine Gael and give up his Dail seat, saying that “despite my best efforts I have had virtually no influence or input into shaping Fine Gael's economic policies at this most critical time”.

“After nine months of trying within the political system it is now my considered view that the role available to me within Fine Gael is not a role I am happy to play.

“The role I have been playing within the party has been very limited and I have found this to be personally unfulfilling,” Lee added.

Following his announcement last summer that he was to leave his position as RTE economics editor and enter politics with Fine Gael, Lee topped the poll in the Dublin South by-election and was elected to Dáil Eireann.