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 recently 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.
Tell us your thoughts in the Facebook post and share this with your friends.
