The former minister for justice, Mr Sean Doherty, has confirmed he is to retire from the Dail at the next general election after a long and troubled political career.
Mr Doherty, most notorious for his tapping of two journalists' phones in 1982, improved his political reputation in recent years, in particular through his involvement in last year's parliamentary DIRT inquiry.
However, his early career was blighted by political controversy, with the latter part seeing him struggle to retain his seat in a sometimes bitter local contest with running mate Mr Terry Leyden. Mr Doherty lost to his rival in 1989 before being re-elected in 1992.
There is speculation that a member of Mr Doherty's family may seek a nomination to contest the next general election but no confirmation of this was available last night. Fianna Fail's plans to hold a selection convention for the Longford/Roscommon constituency next month are believed to have prompted Mr Doherty's decision to let it be known he will not stand again.
He will be most remembered for his very short but highly contentious period as Mr Charles Haughey's minister for justice. During just nine months in Cabinet in 1982, he became the main focus of criticism of Mr Haughey's style of government. He instructed the Garda to tap the telephones of journalists Geraldine Kennedy and Bruce Arnold, and figured in a number of other controversies at the time.
Having been such a loyal supporter of Mr Haughey, his statement nine years later that he had delivered transcripts of the intercepted telephone conversations to the then Taoiseach led to Mr Haughey's political downfall.
A former garda and auctioneer, Mr Doherty was first elected to the Dail for Roscommon in the 1977 Fianna Fail landslide victory under Jack Lynch. In 1979 he was a supporter of Mr Haughey's successful campaign for the party leadership. As soon as he became party leader and Taoiseach, Mr Haughey appointed him Minister of State for Justice, a position he held until Fianna Fail lost the 1981 general election. Mr Haughey appointed him as full Minister during his 1982 administration.
Mr Doherty resigned from the Fianna Fail front bench under threat of sacking when the phone tapping scandal became public in 1983. He remained in the political wilderness for the next six years, losing his Dail seat in 1989. He was elected to the Seanad, however, and became Cathaoirleach.
Mr Doherty was re-elected to the Dail in 1992 for the new Longford/Roscommon constituency and held his seat in 1997.