Daniel McConnell: Under pressure Micheál Martin facing internal and external battles
Taoiseach Micheál Martin outside Government Buildings earlier this week. Picture: Niall Carson/PA Wire
A party leader taking some flack from his TDs and Senators is nothing new and Micheál Martin is certainly no stranger to taking heat from his troops.
Since he ascended to the position of leader in 2011, he has endured rather than enjoyed the dynamic with his elected members of the Oireachtas.
As I have written before, he has gone to war with his own party on several occasions, most notably on the issue of abortion in 2018 and on extending confidence and supply for another year. The scars of those battles linger to this day.
His has always been an uneasy relationship with his own rearguard and this week’s much leaked parliamentary party will be of concern to him and his supporters.
Mr Martin, an increasingly isolated and disconnected figure from his parliamentary party, is now beginning to suffer from his decision years ago to seek to run his party single-handedly without much or any consultation.
While such a strategy is somewhat feasible in opposition, it is not tenable in government and Mr Martin’s style of leadership is now being openly questioned.
On Wednesday night, during a lengthy two-hour meeting held via Zoom, Mr Martin was subject to a scathing attack from several of his own TDs over his failure to take a tougher stance on the Leo Varadkar controversy last weekend.
Mr Martin stood accused of not commenting publicly for 48 hours when Mr Varadkar admitted he leaked the GP deal to his friend Maitiu Ó Tuathail in April 2019 and when he did comment he gave his long-time rival and now Tánaiste a free pass.
On Monday, while saying what he did was inappropriate, the Taoiseach backed Mr Varadkar by expressing confidence in him and said he did nothing unlawful.
Given, as many of his own TDs saw it, the rough justice meted out to Barry Cowen and Dara Calleary, Mr Martin’s failure to publicly admonish the Fine Gael leader was perceived as weakness.
It was too much for some to take.
At the meeting, former agriculture minister Barry Cowen, unceremoniously sacked by Mr Martin, bemoaned that unlike Varadkar, he was not given due process from his leader.
In relation to his 2016 drink driving charge, Mr Cowen argued his recourse was through An Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission (Gsoc) but Mr Martin said he had to address the Dáil and was removed as a result.
Mr Martin was then confronted by Sligo-Leitrim TD Marc MacSharry who thundered the Taoiseach’s handling of the Varadkar affair was a “disgrace”.
He went further, he sharply declared that the party’s record low poll-ratings (11% in the latest Red C poll) is the fault of Mr Martin.
Mr MacSharry is said to have interrupted his leader on a number of occasions and Mr Martin said he took issue with what he called the personalised nature of the attacks.
Several sources said a "shouting match" between the two men occurred but others have said the Taoiseach did not raise his voice.
He said Mr Martin allowed the party to be “dragged down” by backing the Fine Gael leader over his leaking of the GP contract to the National Association of GPs in April of last year.
But, Mr MacSharry and Mr Cowen were not alone.
Former party whip Michael Moynihan who was overlooked for promotion despite many years of loyal service said the causes of what lost the party the election are still in place and asked where the review of the election was.
Tipperary TD Jackie Cahill expressed what some of his colleagues said was outrage at the party’s low standing. He said many in the party are annoyed at what he said were differing standards for Mr Cowen and Dara Calleary and the pass being given to Mr Varadkar.
At the end of the meeting, Mr Martin sought to defend his handling of the affair and also the sacking of Mr Cowen and the manner of Mr Calleary’s resignation.
Mr Martin also hit out at the fact that the exchanges in the meeting were being leaked to the and other media, describing the meeting as “effectively public meetings now”.
These comments led to Mr MacSharry coming back at him sharply calling on him to listen to his critics.
“If he is not willing to listen he shouldn’t be leader,” Mr MacSharry is reported to have said.
What has been very telling from my enquiries since the meeting is that no one spoke up in defence of Mr Martin and his handling of the Varadkar issue.
Unlike Varadkar, who still retains a comfortable control of his parliamentary party, Mr Martin is in uncertain and troubled waters.
With only two and a half years before he has to relinquish the reins of powers to Mr Varadkar, Mr Martin needed for things to fall conveniently for him to allow him make a real impact as Taoiseach.
By any standard, since he has taken office, he and his government has been bedevilled by a series of extraordinary self-inflicted own goals.
He, too, has not been helped by a widely held perception that his Tánaiste has been running opposition from within Cabinet.
For his part, Mr Martin’s judgement in the original selection of a Cabinet is open to scrutiny and a repeated complaint from his TDs is that they are getting eaten alive by both Sinn Féin and Fine Gael on sharing their message on social media, which has become a far more important means of engagement with voters.
Some have pointed to the depletion of the party’s press office since going into government and the failure to appoint a heavyweight head of communications as a major issue.
To the outside, it may appear minor, but a well-functioning press office allows TDs keep their local papers full of news on their behalf and many feel they are suffering because of that failure.
Fundamentally, however, it is hard to avoid the conclusion that Mr Martin is reluctant to expand the key circle of trusted voices he has around him.
“He is Taoiseach but he was running point on education matters during the summer to protect Norma Foley. He has repeatedly had to come in and defend Stephen Donnelly. This is not what he should be doing,” said one senior TD.
While the unhappiness within the party has certainly escalated and mutterings of how a change of leader could happen, the truth is Mr Martin is not in danger of a heave in the short run.
While most are watching the movements of Jim O’Callaghan with interest, there is no imminent heave.
The situation for Mr Martin is far from ideal but it is not irretrievable.
Quite simply, if he was prepared to lower his guard and be willing to allow his TDs and Senators more a tangible role in making decisions, then much of the disquiet would dissipate.
He is the Taoiseach, but as the old saying goes – a leader without any followers is simply a guy going for a walk.
He is running out of time to turn things around.
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