Alan Shatter: 'I wrote another book but feared it could have harmed my career'
FORMER Minister for Justice Alan Shatter has revealed that he penned another book – but feared it could have ended his political career. Mr Shatter’s novel Laura made headlines when it was considered by the censorship board in 2013.
He wrote the book in 1989 and it was centred on an Oireachtas member who was having an affair with his secretary.
One explicit scene in the book took place in the fictional TD’s office in Leinster House.
Now the South Dublin TD has admitted he penned another book “many years ago” that would have stunted his political career.
“I wrote another novel many years ago and decided if it was published I probably couldn’t continue in politics,” he told Sean Moncrieff on Newstalk yesterday.
The book has been firmly put on the back burner by the politician, who confirmed that he was seeking re-election.
His constituency has been redrawn and he admitted that it would be a “heck of a challenge” for his party to get three seats.
Mr Shatter remained coy about the contents of his unpublished novel.
“It was on the, I hope, amusing side. I don’t think it was all that frisky,” he said.
Elaborating on the book could cost him his nomination for the general election campaign, he joked.
In a bizarre interview, Mr Shatter also read out some poetry he penned.
He recited a light-hearted poem called Go Fly a Kite and a more serious verse called Sirens.
POET
He had no desire to become a published poet but rather pursued it as a hobby to distract him from politics he said.
Meanwhile, he also refused to be drawn on his current relationship with Taoiseach Enda Kenny.
“We haven’t had any major conversations,” he said.
“We had one conservation a long time ago that’s confidential beyond that he is a very busy man.”
The Dublin politician also dismissed suggestions that he was arrogant.