Newly elected Fine Gael MEP Simon Coveney said today he would not resign his Dáil seat because there was no public appetite for a by-election.
However the Cork politician (31) said he would resign his front bench position as spokesman on Communications Marine and Natural Resources and would reassess the situation in six months' time.
"I will try and run an efficient TD office in Cork and provide people in Cork South Central with a good service. But my priority is to be a good MEP for the people in the Ireland South constituency," he said.
This is Mr Coveney's fourth successful election in five-and-a-half years. He was first elected as a TD in 1997 to replace his late father, Hugh Coveney, who served as a minister in the Rainbow Coalition Government.
With the other two successful candidates Mr Brian Crowley and Ms Kathy Sinnott, also based in Cork, Mr Coveney dismissed fears that other counties in the constituency would not be represented.
"I said to people in Waterford, Kerry, Tipperary and in Limerick when I was campaigning that I would represent them as well as people in Cork. They will see me in their county over the next five years. I've no intention of being just a Cork MEP."
Mr Coveney said his election as MEP marked a resurgence in Fine Gael's fortunes in Munster. "There's a lot of joy. We took a drubbing in the last election but people in Fine Gael were determined to turn that around and that's what we've done," he said.
PA