Heather Humphreys: long-serving TD was Cabinet mainstay through ...

The surprise announcement by Heather Humphreys that she will not contest the upcoming general election comes after two decades in politics that included overcoming a shaky start to her career in Cabinet before going on to become one of its most solid performers.

Previously working for Ulster Bank and later as a manager at Cootehill Credit Union in Co Cavan, Humphreys was first elected to Monaghan County Council in 2004 and topped the poll when she won re-election five years later.

She was first elected to the Dáil in 2011 when she retained the Dáil seat vacated by fellow Presbyterian and Fine Gael colleague Seymour Crawford.

As a first-time TD she was an unexpected choice when then-taoiseach Enda Kenny appointed her as minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht in 2014 as part of a reshuffle.

As a new TD, she had not even anticipated getting a junior ministry.

She was embroiled in controversy when Fine Gael nominee John McNulty was appointed to the board of the Irish Museum of Modern Art in advance of a Seanad byelection he was contesting for Fine Gael.

He later resigned and withdrew from the byelection.

[ Heather Humphreys: 1916 commemorations belong to all (2016)Opens in new window ]

Humphreys recovered from this, however, and was widely praised for her handling of the Decade of Centenaries including the commemoration of the 1916 Rising.

She was appointed as minister for Enterprise by then-taoiseach Leo Varadkar in 2017 and spoke out during the Brexit process on her experience of the hard border with Northern Ireland in place during her youth and why it should not return.

Humphreys took over as Minister for Social Protection when the current Coalition was formed at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic at a time when as many as 400,000 people were receiving the Pandemic Unemployment Payment.

She oversaw the phasing out of such supports as the pandemic receded and more recently was at the heart of giveaway budgets that saw across-the-board welfare increases and cost-of-living payments such as the two double child-benefit payments announced earlier this month.

The introduction of an auto-enrolment scheme for pensions and the roll-out of hot meals to all primary schools have been hailed by Taoiseach Simon Harris as key achievements by his departing colleague.

She also took the helm at the Department of Rural and Community development in 2020 – widely seen as a ‘good news’ department given the various grants available to spread around the country.

She was appointed as Fine Gael deputy leader by Harris after he became leader.

Humphreys (64) is married to Eric Humphreys and they have two daughters.

In her statement confirming she will not contest the general election she thanked her family “for their patience and support”.

“While I chose to enter politics, my family did not. The stress, strain and time away from home takes its toll on everybody.

“I really am looking forward to spending more time with you and particularly my two beautiful little grandchildren.”

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