It appears as though Martin is putting a brave face on things after the atrocious week the government had last week to do with the fuel protests.
Taoiseach Micheál Martin has said he does not “in any shape or form” feel his position as leader of Fianna Fáil is under threat, reports RTE.
He was speaking during a news conference in Berlin, alongside German Chancellor Friedrich Merz.
“I do not in any shape or form feel under threat. I do acknowledge the extraordinary pressure … on families and people across the country in terms of the impact of rising oil prices as a result of the war in the Middle East,” he said, reports RTE.
The Taoiseach said the Government was faced with a very significant dilemma last week in terms of likely critical infrastructure being blockaded, adding that they have an “obligation to our people and to the State” to ensure those blockades were discontinued in the middle of a supply crisis, reports RTE.
He said there was a potential that blockaded plants would stop refining.
“As an exporting country, we had to lift the blockades,” reports RTE.
Mr Martin said the Government can “evaluate” concerns about the language used during the crisis, and in how people “perceived how the Government was approaching that”, reports RTE.
He said there were “different strands” to the protests last week and the Government had been surprised by the nature and scale of the demonstrations.
He said there were “many genuine people” involved and they were under pressure, reports RTE.
Minister for Public Expenditure and Fianna Fáil deputy leader Jack Chambers has said the recent disquiet within the party is “not at all” building up to a heave against Taoiseach Micheál Martin.
Speaking on RTÉ’s News at One, Mr Chambers said there is still “widespread support for Micheál Martin as leader and as Taoiseach of our country”, reports RTE.
“He’s got a strong mandate from the last General Election…and I think now more than ever we need political stability, we need cohesion, and we need his continued service and leadership in his role as Taoiseach at a time of profound geo-political uncertainty.”
Mr Chambers said members of the Fianna Fáil parliamentary party who have spoken out have “constructive criticism and feedback and input that they want to make”, reports RTE.
In response to a statement yesterday by some members, Mr Chambers said they said it was not about “challenging any individual or singling out any member of Government”.
“I take them at their word in what they set out yesterday,” he said.
He said there was “very good engagement” during a “long parliamentary party meeting” on Monday this week, and that the normal weekly parliamentary party meeting on Tuesdays is scheduled to take place as normal next week, reports RTE.
Mr Chambers said he “values and welcomes the input” from all the members of the parliamentary party and it’s “important to listen”.
He said people around the country have had “a very difficult number of weeks” over fuel costs “which has had profound impacts on families, households, and businesses”, reports RTE.
“The impact of the conflict in the Middle East is profound on Irish society, and I acknowledge that,” he said, reports RTE.
Mr Chambers said that Mr Martin has been an “exceptional” party leader and leader of the country, describing him as “someone who always seeks to do the right thing in the national interest, in the common good”.
“He has provided continued service, integrity and dedication throughout his time in Government,” reports RTE.
The Minister said Ireland is facing “economic headwinds” and “geo-political risk” and “we have to protect what we’ve built in the last number of years with coherent, stable government”, reports RTE.
He said Ireland’s “incredible economic resilience” of recent years, almost full employment, continued debt reduction, and ongoing job creation cannot be “taken for granted”.
“We have difficult choices and trade-offs that we have to make,” reports RTE.
Fianna Fáil TD Malcolm Byrne has said “more empathy” could have been shown by the Taoiseach during the fuel price protests, a day after Micheál Martin held a meeting with three Fianna Fáil TDs over the response to the fuel crisis, reports RTE.
Speaking on RTÉ’s Morning Ireland programme, Mr Byrne said that he had spoken to the Taoiseach and that Mr Martin understands the pain and pressure people are under.
However, he said that some of the tone and language used did not reflect this.
“I think, in terms of the tone from, and I certainly don’t personalise it, but the Taoiseach and some of the ministers, I think it could have been a case of more empathy being shown and more understanding, because I do know that they get it,” Mr Byrne said.
“We got certain things wrong in terms of our approach last week,” he added, reports RTE.
Mr Byrne said he was unaware of any motion of no confidence in the Taoiseach.
The Wicklow-Wexford TD’s comments came following a meeting last night between the Taoiseach and three of his party’s TDs who yesterday issued a statement saying “the social contract was strained to breaking point”, reports RTE.
In their statement, Fianna Fáil’s youngest TDs Ryan O’Meara, Albert Dolan and James O’Connor said it should not require protests to get a government to act, reports RTE.
Tell us your thoughts in the Facebook post and share this with your friends.
