A well known Longford Councillor has announced his decision not to contest the June Local Election.
Independent Councillor Gerry Warnock confirmed his decision to Shannonside FM News this afternoon.
In statement released today, Councillor Warnock says he has become increasingly disillusioned with Irish politics.
He believes the country is suffering record levels of divisiveness in society, which he blames on the Government for 'dropping the ball on bread and butter issues' such as housing, health and immigration.
The Independent representative says the main reason for his decision not to contest the local election is that he feels Councillors are unable to effect change at a local Government level.
In his statement to Shannonside FM News, Councillor Warnock says the diminution of powers at local authority level coupled with protracted processes has frustrated him to the point of stepping back from politics.
He claims that Longford's strong commercial centre has been transformed into a tired residential hub, with increasingly complex deprivational and societal problems.
The Longford man was co-opted onto the Council in 2011, in place of his father Christy Warnock, and went on to be successfully elected in the 2014 and 2019 local elections.
While he has not ruled himself out of contesting the 2025 General Election, Councillor Warnock says he now wants to focus on family for a time, paying tribute to his wife, children and father, as well as fellow councilors and local authority staff.
