Fianna Fáil Taoiseach Micheál Martin is facing further unrest within his parliamentary party following fuel protests and the resignation of Independent Michael Healy-Rae as a Government minister.
Three young Fianna Fáil TDs were strongly critical of the party’s direction in a statement issued on Wednesday.
The TDs – Cork East’s James O’Connor, Galway East’s Albert Dolan and Tipperary North’s Ryan O’Meara – indicated “real and deep concern” with the Government’s response to the fuel price protests of recent weeks.
Following the release of the statement, the three TDs were backed by former ceann comhairle Seán Ó Fearghaíl, who said a discussion on the future of the party, including the issue of leadership, should be held within the next fortnight.
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Amid ongoing fallout from the fuel-price protests and blockades, and the resignation of Healy-Rae from Government, the move is being seen as a criticism of Martin at a time of growing political pressure on him.
O’Connor, Dolan and O’Meara said in their statement that “it should not require protests and deep community frustration to get a Government to listen and to act”.
Healy-Raes' departure caps a terrible week for the Government
The three TDs – all aged in their 20s or early 30s – noted frustration among people of their age, saying that the lesson many of their generation would take from recent events was “that our politics are not working”.
“We must face that reality that the social contract is strained to breaking point,” the statement reads, saying many of their peers see “no connection between what happens at the ballot box and what follows in government”.
The three stopped short of explicitly challenging Martin, saying the intervention is “not about challenging any individual or singling out any member of Government” but “challenging ourselves and our party colleagues to do better”.
However, there is a direct criticism of senior party members: “Too often today we find senior colleagues expect us to just explain their Government difficulties to our communities. That is not the role we want, nor will we accept it any longer.”
The statement added that “our most experienced colleagues share our views”.
There is further implied criticism for the leadership, saying that reforming the approach within the party is “a task that has been long neglected, and recent events have not helped to repair the damage. The responsibility now lies with us. We will dedicate our efforts in the weeks and months ahead to ensuring that this vital connection takes place and that politics once again serves the people”.
Ó Fearghaíl gave his backing to the TDs, telling The Irish Times: “I don’t just support them but salute them for their courage and conviction and for setting out what are the fundamental principles of the Fianna Fáil party I joined.”
Ó Fearghaíl said a conversation was needed about the future of the party, including the leadership, in the next fortnight.
“The question of the leadership will have to be decided within the parliamentary party,” he said this afternoon.
He said it may be that the party backs Martin, but added: “Such is the anger and the feeling of the people that I think we need to sit down and have a discussion about that now and put it to bed. Within the next two weeks, we need to have a discussion about the future of Fianna Fáil, which of course includes leadership.”
He continued: “The scale of the damage done in this most recent debacle cannot be overstated.”
Speaking privately, another TD said, “there’s a little bit of the straw that broke the camel’s back” when it comes to the events of recent days and Martin’s leadership.
The TD said they would have been of the view that Martin should be able to hold on as leader until after the State’s EU presidency. But the TD also claimed: “A lot of the Micheál Martin loyalists are at the end of their tether.”
Another TD said of Martin: “I think the last week did damage him [Martin].” But he still has support among some in the “middle ground” on the leadership question in the parliamentary party.
Another Fianna Fáil politician suggested a time of global crisis is not the time to change leader. That party member also spoke of the need for “stability”, but raised concerns about leadership in the party being “from the top down”.
“You’d wonder what your role is as a backbencher,” added the TD.
He said the fuel protests had “galvanised latent anger that’s out there”, adding that last year’s budget “did absolutely nothing for the squeezed middle”.
A Fianna Fáil Minister said feelings within the party “mirror the feeling [of the] wider population – a lot of frustration and anger” and acknowledged that “last week could have been handled better”.
He said legitimate concerns were raised by most of the people protesting in relation to costs affecting their businesses and the public, but the Government has now intervened a second time with a package of measures aimed at helping.
The Minister dismissed any questions on Martin’s leadership, saying that his party “need to show cohesion” and continue work to deliver for the people.
Another Fianna Fáiler suggested that “the ground seems to be shifting against him [Martin] ... He’s been there 16 years. Everyone has a sell-by date”.
They were also of the view that any attempt at removing Martin as leader before the Dublin Central and Galway West byelections, scheduled to take place next month, was unlikely.
