Ruairi Quinn announces his retirement from politics

http://www.rte.ie/news/2014/0702/627...-labour-party/

It's the start of a long goodbye - he's stepping down as Minister for Education and Skills (probably before he loses a Cabinet seat in the reshuffle) and will remain as a backbench TD until retiring from politics.

I had good reason to keep an eye on him as Education minister - some good ideas (wresting control of primary schools from the Catholic Church; not buying into the mantra that we have a word class education system; efforts at curriculum reform) but he has left Further Education eviscerated and cobbled together with Solas, and failed to tackle funding and fees in higher education. I always thought of him as one of Labour's more competent politicians, but his race is probably run. Who will replace him in Marlborough St?