Willie O’Dea urges Fianna Fáil dissenters to stay off the airwaves

Dissenting Fianna Fáil TDs have been urged to “stay off the public airwaves” if they want to protect the party’s future, a senior frontbencher has claimed.

Social protection spokesperson Willie O’Dea made the plea in a bid to dampen down growing criticism about Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin’s control of the party.

On Sunday, former deputy leader Éamon Ó Cuív hit out at the Cork South Central TD’s leadership, warning the party which once dominated Irish politics was in “demise” and morale was on the floor.

The claim followed the party’s recent stagnation in the polls, where they currently stand on 17%; the departure of a young councillor to Renua Ireland and concern that Fianna Fáil faces losing its seventh by-election since Mr Martin came to power.

Despite the rebuilding work needed after the party was almost wiped out at the last general election, Mr Ó Cuív and others have heavily criticised what they believe is a lack of direction for the opposition group.

However, after party leader Micheál Martin took the increasingly rebellious TDs to task during a closed-door meeting on Tuesday, by insisting the criticisms “smack of desperation” and play “into the anti-Fianna Fáil agenda”, Mr O’Dea yesterday endorsed some of his remarks.

He warned the public sniping must stop.

“I hope and I earnestly plead for all of my colleagues to voice it [criticism] internally, within the party, and stay off the public airwaves because it doesn’t do the party any good,” the Limerick city TD said.

“We have to represent ourselves as a united and cohesive unit. That’s the way we’ll get the best outcome. But, at the moment, that does not seem to be the case,” he said.

“People are making, giving out, ridiculous statements about the [May 22] by-election in Carlow-Kilkenny.

“It’s not something that’s hanging over Micheál Martin like the sword of Damocles.

“Micheál Martin is the leader of Fianna Fáil and will lead Fianna Fáil into the general election.

“If people are unhappy, there is ample scope [to discuss issues internally]. There’s no leadership contest, let me be absolutely clear,” he said.

While Mr O’Dea said he does not want to see a “dictactorship” of a party system develop “like Sinn Féin”. He insisted there was a limit to what should be said in public forums.

When asked if he meant recent comments by Mr Ó Cuív and public accounts committee chairman, John McGuinness, Mr O’Dea said the TDs are “close personal friends of mine” but he disagreed with their belief there is “disillusionment” in the party.

Reacting to the call to not criticise the party or its leader publicly, during an interview with south east radio station KCLR yesterday, Mr McGuinness said he will “not shut up or get out”, adding: “Fianna Fáil needs to change its attitude.”

A number of TDs and senators who spoke to the Irish Examiner this week said, while they have concerns over a lack of direction in the party, there was unlikely to be a leadership contest this side of the general election.

Meanwhile, Fianna Fáil is due to launch, this morning, “a major crackdown on public disorder” relating to anti-social behaviour.

READ NEXT: Councils that hit housing targets to be ‘rewarded’

Read more of today’s news here