Martin denies being under pressure to step down as Fianna Fáil leader

Fianna Fáil TD John McGuinness said the Taoiseach should resign as party leader when the position is handed over at the end of the year

Micheál Martin dismissed any suggestion that he is coming under pressure from within his party to stand aside. Picture: Sasko Lazarov / RollingNews.ie

The Taoiseach does not see a situation where his backbench TDs will come to him to demand he step down as Fianna Fáil leader in the coming months.

It comes after long-standing Fianna Fáil TD John McGuinness said Micheál Martin should resign as party leader when the Taoiseach's position is handed over to Fine Gael at the end of the year.

There have also been reports that some within the party would oppose Tánaiste Leo Varadkar becoming Taoiseach in December if Mr Martin refuses to step aside.

“I would subscribe to that, but I would hope it would not come to that,” Mr McGuinness told Newstalk radio.

He added: "We’re looking to the future in terms of the leadership of the party, the next general election and so on, and there’s always a time mid-term to look at these issues and look at the changes that are necessary both in policy and direction”.

“It’s a natural timing that you would look at these things, just as much as you should look at the program for government which was brought about in 2020 under completely different circumstances”.

However, Mr Martin dismissed any suggestion that he is coming under pressure from within his party to stand aside.

"I've read many, many speculative pieces of that kind over a long number of years," he said.

He said backbenchers have been speaking to him in relation to the development of policies and said any disquiet within Fianna Fáil "has nothing to do with my leadership".

"I'm not getting that when I am out and about with TDs around the country the response I'm getting from people is very, very strong as we go about the place, so I don't see that arising at all," he said when asked about a being given an ultimatum from his own members.

Mr Martin said "stability and continuity" in Government is more important than ever.

"We've made commitments in respect of entering into agreement, which was voted by 80% in the largest ever vote by political party of its members. 

80% voted to endorse the Programme for Government that had been negotiated by the party leaders and to go into government with the Green Party and with Fine Gael.

"They did that because it was a very detailed and comprehensive programme, covering a range of issues but fundamentally designed to deal with the housing crisis, the climate change agenda, health care reform, and then in terms of childcare and education.

Speaking at the annual Sean Lemass commemoration in Dublin, the Taoiseach said: "What's really required now is absolute focus on the budget, and the parallel cost of living package that will be announced with the budget. We have a number of weeks now to get that right. And there's a lot of work underway."