Martin jumped on the ‘Yes’ vote bandwagon and it has backfired

ON April 27, you reported on the 76th Fianna Fáil Ard Fheis. 

You reported that, at a meeting addressed by Senator Averil Power, a number of people voiced opposition to the party’s campaign for a ‘Yes’ vote in the same-sex marriage referendum. I was at the meeting and wish to set out some facts.

Until the referendum campaign began, the vast majority of Fianna Fáil members would have presumed the party opposed same-sex marriage, but leader Micheál Martin, and his inner circle determined that FF should endorse it. His repeated statements that the bulk of members endorsed same-sex marriage, and that this dictated official Fianna Fáil policy, is disingenuous. Same-sex marriage was never debated on the floor of the 2012 Ard Fheis. What happened was that, early on the morning of March 3, 2012, 80 people gathered to discuss same-sex marriage. Ms Power and her supporters were to the fore. A motion to support same-sex marriage was called. Two votes followed and 45 people voted for same-sex marriage. A policy was born, the coup complete.

Since then, Micheál Martin and his inner circle have presented the policy as the will of the entire party, following a plan he was sure would bring him success

He even did something unheard of — he made Glen, the Gay Lesbian Equality Network, an equal partner with Fianna Fáil. Fianna Fáil became the mouth of Glen. Glen director Tiernan Brady was lead speaker of a Fianna Fáil road show. Glen was given a stand at the 2015 Ard Fheis; Ogra Fianna Fáil changed its logo to incorporate Glen’s colours.

Mr Martin selected Ms Power to promote the modernising policy, yet the parliamentary party was not performing; members were not wearing their ‘Yes’ badges. Ms Power exploded. She denounced Mr Martin as a weakling, and the parliamentary party as foot-draggers. The ‘star’ has crushed its maker, and the harvest of gay, young and women’s votes that Mr Martin had gathered has been blown away. Far from resurrecting the Fianna Fáil party, Mr Martin has done 10 times more damage to its morale and viability than Bertie Aherne did.

Micheál Martin must stand down and a new leader must secure conscience clauses. The party must stop indulging D4 debates on niche social issues, and, instead, save ordinary working people and reverse the unspoken policy of turning rural Ireland into a weekend retreat for the elite of Dublin and for American and European castle-buyers.

John Malone

Oldcastle

Co. Meath