There was some surprise when Jackie Gallagher announced his departure from Fianna Fail, having been on the Taoiseach's advisory staff for the last four years. How could he leave the centre of power? Was there a falling out? Is a collapse imminent? Does he know something the rest of us don't? No, no, no and no again. Gallagher, only 32, left The Irish Times to join Bertie Ahern and now feels it is time to move again. He believes in regularly reinventing himself, he says, and Fleishman-Hillard Saunders offered him a great opportunity as director of corporate relations, which means going back to his roots in business and finance. He enjoyed every minute of his FF years, although he turned down the job of Government press secretary because, as Bertie knew all along, he wasn't for the long haul.
A Mayoman, Gallagher doesn't rule out politics - sometime. "I think you have to have a separate life; you need something to fall back on, a profession outside politics and I think you need to make some money. There are opportunities now and I do not know how long they will be there; I like to pick my timing. Fianna Fail has a full staff now, but after an election you don't know what might happen. When I'm 50, if I have my money made and if I'm still healthy and interested, yes, I may run for politics. But not before I am mature!"