Martin rejects talk of heave if party loses byelection

Micheál Martin has moved to downplay talk he faces a leadership crisis if Fianna Fáil loses a crunch upcoming byelection.

The former cabinet minister insisted no TD had told him face-to-face a byelection defeat in Carlow-Kilkenny in May — which would be the seventh consecutive such loss in this parliament — could lead to a heave.

Mr Martin, who said he was confident he would lead the party into the next election, also delivered a public rebuke to Fianna Fáil chief whip Seán Ó Fearghaíl after he said party members were “depressed and bloody demoralised”.

Mr Martin said he did not agree with the choice of words used by the chief whip or that they represented the general feeling of members of the party.

The Fianna Fáil leader was upbeat about the party’s chances in the May 22 byelection: “We will outperform the polls in the next general election, and of that I am certain. And we know from research across the country we are doing quite well in some areas of the country, but in other areas we have to pick up clearly.”

He insisted the party always outperformed opinion poll ratings and pointed to the fact it got the largest slice of votes in last year’s local elections with 25%.

Mr Ó Fearghaíl made his “depressed” comments in response to fears amongst grassroots activists that the party was failing to make inroads against Sinn Féin or Fine Gael.

A slate of opinion polls showing the party flat-lining around the 17% mark it got in the disastrous 2011 general election have caused jitters among party members.

Mr Martin said the party’s performance at the next election would also be boosted by the better selection of candidates.

The Carlow-Kilkenny by-election, caused by Phil Hogan’s resignation from the Dáil after being appointed a European commissioner, is likely to attract a strong turnout, being held on the same day as the referendum on extending marriage rights to same-sex couples.

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