Taoiseach Micheál Martin has robustly defended the extent of his foreign travel during 2025, arguing that international engagement is vital and that going back to an “isolationist position” where Ireland does not attend any meeting is “ridiculous”.
Mr Martin has been abroad 20 times since becoming Taoiseach early this year. UK prime minister Keir Starmer has come under fire in Britain for spending too long abroad and not focusing enough on domestic issues. Mr Starmer has travelled abroad on fewer occasions than the Taoiseach this year.
The Taoiseach questioned the premise of such a position and said it was not an objective one.
“Most people in the country accept that the leader of the country has to engage internationally,” he said.
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“So much emanates from the international world in terms of influence. The first crisis we had to deal with was the tariffs issue. It is important for jobs in our economy, for the technology industry, for the life sciences industry. We navigated that well both within the European Union and indeed with the United States. That’s why international engagement matters, for God’s sake.
“Do people think we go back to a sort of an isolated position where we don’t attend any meetings? This is ridiculous.”
Mr Martin was speaking in Luanda, the capital of Angola, in advance of a meeting between European leaders and their counterparts from Africa. He has travelled to Angola from South Africa where he attended the G20 summit over the course of the weekend.
The Taoiseach insisted he limited his visits to functional meetings and ones that were in Ireland’s interests.
“I don’t go abroad for any other reason than to advance the country’s agenda, and in particular with the tariff situation. So I went to Japan because Japan invests hugely in Ireland …
“The counter move against tariffs is to double down on trade deals with other important economic entities, and we have to engage as a country doing that.
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“If people want to withdraw in sort of cheap commentary on soundbites and go the isolationist role and not engage with people, the country will be poor.”
Mr Martin said he was not aware of any people within his party criticising him for travelling abroad.
“Are people saying we shouldn’t attend Cop?” he asked.
“There’s a need for a bit of common sense, a sense of perspective,” he added, arguing that those who were criticising it were making a mountain out of a molehill.
The Department of the Taoiseach confirmed Mr Martin has taken six trips on EU business and a further six in relation to EU engagement this year. There have been two bilateral meetings with the UK; a United Nations meeting in New York (followed by a bilateral visit to Canada); the Cop summit in Brazil; the St Patrick’s Day trip to the United States; and the attendance at the G20 in South Africa followed by the EU-African Union summit in Angola. The Taoiseach also went on a bilateral visit to Japan during the summer.
