People Before Profit TD Richard Boyd-Barrett to step back from politics following cancer diagnosis

People Before Profit TD Richard Boyd-Barrett has revealed that he will be stepping back from politics for a few months while he receives cancer treatment.

Speaking to RTÉ's Claire Byrne on Monday morning, Boyd-Barrett said that he would be undergoing chemotherapy and radiotherapy for throat cancer.

The Dún Laoghaire representative said that he had a lump on his neck investigated before Christmas, and that a biopsy on his tissue uncovered the cancer.

“The doctors were adamant that I was not to work,” Boyd-Barrett said. "All in all, we could be talking three or four months.”

He added that former PBP TD Bríd Smith would be helping in his absence.

“I recently received a cancer diagnosis and I am about to begin a treatment programme," Boyd'Barrett said in a statement posted by People Before Profit online. "I have been advised by my doctors to take a complete break to focus on my treatment and recovery. I will therefore take an extended period of leave starting later this week.

"The consituency operation in Dún Laoghaire will continue. Bríd Smith will be helping to run the constituency work in my absence and I want to thank her and the constituency team for their support."

Boyd Barrett added that he was "disappointed" to have to step back from his role, but that he looked forward "getting back as soon as possible to representing my constituents and campaigning on housing; to ensure that ordinary people are not made to pay for Trump’s tariff wars; to defend our neutrality; for the people of Gaza; and all the other issues that are central to my political life."

“I’d also like to take the opportunity to thank all the health workers who have been looking after me so well," he continued. "I am relying entirely on the public health care system and I hope that the Government will fulfil their commitment to resource and staff our public health service so the health workers can look after us all the way that they want to do.”