Micheál Martin's comments raise questions on his future at the helm of Fianna Fáil 

'Everyone is listening to it', one TD remarked on the Taoiseach's latest comments on 'Morning Ireland'

When asked if he would lead Fianna Fáil into the next election, Mr Martin said he would be 'leading Fianna Fáil, yes, in the coming years, and so on. File picture: Liam McBurney/Press Association

Taoiseach Micheál Martin has raised eyebrows in Fianna Fáil after saying twice that he would “fulfil his mandate as Taoiseach” in an apparent softening of language about his future.

Members of his party have told the Irish Examiner that Mr Martin’s interview on RTÉ’s Morning Ireland was the talk of the party on Thursday, with some seeing it as a “signal” that the end of his tenure is imminent.

Questions about Mr Martin’s leadership have been swirling for several years, but intensified last year in the wake of the party’s calamitous performance in the presidential election.

Mr Martin has repeatedly said that he “has a mandate” to lead Fianna Fáil through the next political term, insisting he would see out that mandate and lead the party into the next general election in November 2029.

However, on The Late Late Show last Friday and on Morning Ireland on Thursday, Mr Martin said he would “fulfil his mandate as Taoiseach”.

When it was put to him on Morning Ireland that many assumed that the European summits held in Dublin would be his final big EU events, he said they would be “assuming wrong”.

“I'm going to fulfil my mandate as Taoiseach,” he said.

When asked if he would lead Fianna Fáil into the next election, Mr Martin said he would be “leading Fianna Fáil, yes, in the coming years, and so on”.

Pushed again if he would lead the party into the election, he noted that was “a good few years away”.

Asked again, he said: “That’s my intention, to lead the party into the next election."

The Irish Examiner understands that the interview was being spoken about at length in Leinster House on Thursday amongst Fianna Fáil politicians, with some noting a shift in the Taoiseach’s language.

It is understood some “dissident” politicians were advising those whom they see as successors to listen back to the interview.

'The signal has been given'

“Everyone is listening to it,” one TD remarked. “The shift in messaging is very, very important. It is quite clear that a signal has been given that he is going.”

TDs noted that it was “twice in less than a week” Mr Martin had spoken about his “mandate as Taoiseach”, with one surmising, “Perhaps there is an end in sight after all”.

One TD noted that talk in the party about Mr Martin’s future is “quiet”, but said that is when things could be most dangerous, as it means others could be plotting.

“He will definitely be gone at some stage in 2027,” they noted.

However, another TD pointed out that if Mr Martin said anything other than he would lead the party into the next election, he would be a “dead man walking”.

Mr Martin has led the party since January, 2011. 

“I can’t see him going anywhere,” they added.

• Louise Burne is Political Correspondent.