Heather Humphreys has described some of her greatest achievements during her 21-year political career as the "small things" that make a difference to the lives of people. The Minister for Social Protection and Rural Affairs was a Monaghan County Councillor since 2003 before being elected to the Dáil eight years later. At the weekend, she announced her intention to not run in the upcoming general election.
Speaking on the Joe Finnegan Show, the Cavan-Monaghan TD said "it makes her smile" every time she thinks about every schoolchild receiving a hot school meal by the end of 2025. She also counts pay-related benefits for people laid off from their job and auto-enrolment as two of the most beneficial "big ticket" measures introduced by her department during her term . However, she said during her time as a councillor, TD and minister making a difference at grassroots level is what makes her job rewarding. "Small things matter and make such a difference", the outgoing TD said and she encourages anyone who believes they can make a difference to get involved in politics:
