Fianna Fáil 'badly needs' a deputy leader to boost election chances

Party TDs and senators call on Micheál Martin to reinstate the position

The deputy leader position was last held by Mayo TD and junior minister Dara Calleary. Picture: Gareth Chaney/Collins

Fianna Fáil TDs and senators are calling on Tánaiste and party leader Micheál Martin to appoint a deputy leader to boost the party’s flagging election chances.

With Mr Martin and Finance Minister Michael McGrath abroad so often with their ministerial duties, party members have confirmed their intention to raise the matter when the Tánaiste returns from the Lebanon.

Mr Martin missed last night’s parliamentary party meeting and the matter was not raised but the leader is under pressure to reinstate the position last held by Mayo TD and junior minister Dara Calleary.

He relinquished the post when he resigned his office in 2020 following his attendance at the Oireachtas Golf Society event in Clifden.

TDs and senators have said that a deputy leader is “badly needed” as local and European elections are to take place next year.

Senator Erin McGreehan pulled back from raising the matter at the party meeting last night as she did not want anyone to be able to suggest she was whipping up trouble while the leader was abroad.

Some party members have said the party would need a Dublin-based deputy leader to help to revive its fortunes in the capital where it has fallen behind Sinn Féin and Fine Gael.

Apartment redress scheme

At the meeting, Housing Minister Darragh O’Brien briefed the party and fielded questions on the €2.5bn apartment redress scheme announced last week.

Mr O’Brien also took questions from concerned TDs about the emergency housing support scheme to accommodate Ukrainian refugees, with calls to ensure those who arrive here are properly housed.

There was also a lengthy discussion involving Health Minister Stephen Donnelly on the ongoing pressure in hospitals across the country.

Meanwhile, a number of Fine Gael members, including the parliamentary party chair Richard Bruton, were highly critical of the Coillte deal with Gresham House.

Mr Bruton told the party meeting that the handling of the Coillte deal has been deplorable. Carlow-Kilkenny TD John Paul Phelan also raised concerns and warned of the possible impact on land prices. He said the optics of allowing a British fund investing in the Irish forestry sector were very bad. Kildare North TD Bernard Durkan also vented concerns about the deal. 

Senator Sean Kyne raised separate issues around inland fisheries.

However, a large part of the meeting focused on those seeking international protection here. 

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said all efforts are being made to find accommodation after emergency shelter for adult international protection applicants at Citywest was paused. He said it was a difficult situation and pointed out that nearly 100,000 refugees have arrived in the country in the last year. 

He said it was the biggest refugee crisis seen since the Second World War in Europe and the biggest ever experienced in Ireland. 

The meeting heard that the Ukrainian war is not the only war in the world from which refugees are fleeing while many leave their country due to religious, political, LGBT, or gender persecution.

Party colleagues heard nobody can doubt the level of care and compassion in this country but that there are limits on our capacity.