Career Post-politics
After 21 years, Dukes lost his Dáil seat in the general election of 2002. This contest saw many high profile casualties for Fine Gael, including Deputy Leader Jim Mitchell, former Deputy Leader Nora Owen and others. Many local commentators felt that the loss was down to a lack of attention to local issues, as Dukes was highly involved in European projects and had always enjoyed a national profile.
He retired from politics in 2002, and was subsequently appointed Director General of the Institute of International and European Affairs. He remained active within Fine Gael, and served a number of terms as the party's Vice President.
In December 2008, he was appointed by Finance Minister Brian Lenihan, Jnr as a public interest director on the board of Anglo Irish Bank. The bank was subsequently nationalised, and he continues to serve on the board.
In January 2009, Dukes was a judge on the TG4 reality TV show Feirm Factor.
Dukes receives annual pension payments of €129,805.
Read more about this topic: Alan Dukes
Famous quotes containing the word career:
“It is a great many years since at the outset of my career I had to think seriously what life had to offer that was worth having. I came to the conclusion that the chief good for me was freedom to learn, think, and say what I pleased, when I pleased. I have acted on that conviction... and though strongly, and perhaps wisely, warned that I should probably come to grief, I am entirely satisfied with the results of the line of action I have adopted.”
—Thomas Henry Huxley (1825–95)