Fianna Fáil 'pantomime' affecting how country is being run, Labour TD says

Labour's justice spokesperson Alan Kelly TD speaking to the media at Leinster House this morning. Picture: Stephen Collins/Collins Photos

The Fianna Fáil “pantomime” must be brought to its conclusion as it is affecting how the country is being run, a Labour TD has said.

Alan Kelly said that anyone within the party who wants to “stand up to their leader” must do so today.

However, the Tipperary TD, who was ousted as Labour leader in April 2022, denied encouraging any sort of heave against Taoiseach Micheál Martin.

The long-awaited and highly anticipated review into Fianna Fáil’s presidential election campaign will be given to members of the parliamentary party ahead of a special meeting to discuss it at 7pm on Tuesday.

Speaking on the plinth in advance of the report being published, Mr Kelly told reporters in Leinster House that the issue was consuming the Government.

“While it's not the Labour Party's business, the final curtain on the pantomime has been the Fianna Fáil leadership, Jim McGavin, presidential affair really does need to come to an end,” he said.

“The final curtain needs to fall in relation to this issue.

“Those who wish to stand up to their leader and deal with this issue, today is the day to deal with that, because it is a pantomime at this stage.

It's taken up so much oxygen around the country. I can't see how certain people in government are focusing on their jobs.

“This issue once and for all, whatever way that's going to go, and that's certainly none of our business, but it is a pantomime at this stage, and it's been turned into a pantomime by those in power in Fianna Fáil.

“But those who want to take issue and deal with this leadership issue really have to do so today, because for this pantomime to continue, to have half the government more or less being paralysed because they’ve been taken up.

“Trying to deal with Fianna Fáil ministers at the moment, trying to deal with Fianna Fáil people at committee, they’re consumed by this issue.

“Otherwise, basically, we're going to have this going on into the middle of January, and we’ve so many pressing issues.

“You can imagine the situation we're going to have in relation to health over the next three or four weeks. It has to end.” When asked if he was encouraging a heave, Mr Kelly denied this and said it was a “matter for them”.

On his way into Cabinet, Mr Martin confirmed that he received the review and will share it “promptly” with the parliamentary party. However, he would not confirm when the meeting will take place.

“I'm much happier that I have it now,” the Taoiseach said.

“I didn't have it all along, and I was taken aback by some of the commentary last week, where it seems people [were] reacting on reported leaks or whatever.

“The assertions contained in some of the commentary last week were simply false, and I had to put that on the record.

“It’s not fair to people to have their names bandied about the place in the context of assertions that were and are false.”