Michael Lowry will cast a shadow over Micheál Martin's day in the sun

Following several covid setbacks, a proper day out is on the cards

Micheál Martin is to finally get a proper day out when he is appointed Taoiseach with all the bells and whistles, but power always comes at a price. Picture: Damien Eagers

Micheál Martin is to finally get a proper day out when he is appointed Taoiseach with all the bells and whistles on Wednesday, but power always comes at a price.

The Fianna Fáil leader had been considered as possibly the unluckiest taoiseach in history when he took over the top job in government in the midst of a global pandemic which seriously limited his ability to lead on an international stage last time around.

Back in 2020, Martin cut a lonely figure in a socially distanced National Convention Centre, where the Dáil had temporarily relocated to in order to adhere to covid regulations for the appointment of Taoiseach.

His wife Mary and children were denied the opportunity to be in attendance at what was a momentous occasion for the long-serving TD and his family.

As travel restrictions remained in place Martin was left sitting alone in his Government Building offices eating a chickpea salad as he watched Micheál Aodh tog out for Cork in Páirc Uí Chaoimh stands.

Covid also put a stop to the traditional St Patrick's Day visit to the White House, with Martin holding a meeting with then president Joe Biden over zoom in 2021.

The following year Martin made it as far as Washington, but on the eve of the Oval Office meeting he tested positive for covid leaving him in isolation in Blair House just across the road from the US president's famous residence.

This time around, Martin will be hoping for better luck in office having endured a succession of political injustices, which were out of his control.

Forced to do a deal

But in order to regain the Taoiseach's position, Martin has been forced to do a deal with Independents, an unpredictable and at times unreliable cohort.

While all sides have been at pains to state that no official constituency deals have been done with the members of the Regional Independents or the Healy Raes, a source suggested that members of Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael are "very aware" of particular local projects that will be kept in mind when funding comes around.

Then there is the issue of Michael Lowry, the Tipperary TD who led negotiations on behalf of the Regional Group and has now returned to support the coalition from the opposition benches.

In recent days both Martin and Lowry have vented frustrations that the media has been overly obsessed with the past.

But the findings of the Moriarity Tribunal and the reaction of Fianna Fáil to the damning report, should not and cannot be simply swept under the carpet because it suits both sides to forget for the purposes of forming a government.

Back in 2011, Martin told the Dáil that in his findings Justice Moriarty had clearly set out "illicit, inappropriate and irregular behaviour which has done great damage and may cause much more".

Calling for the resignation of Lowry, Martin added the report of the Tribunal, which was set up examine payments made to former taoiseach Charles Haughey and to former minister Lowry, had exposed "serious malpractice and corruption."

The Tribunal found "beyond doubt" that Lowry imparted substantive information to businessman Denis O’Brien which was helpful in securing the licence for Esat Digifone.

Deep indictment

In a lengthy Dáil contribution and not mincing his words, Mr Martin said: "This report is a deep indictment of the conduct of Deputy Lowry, both as a minister and in the years following his reluctant resignation.

"The uncontested facts of the tribunal's report show that a minister who was supposed to know nothing about the competition sought and received information from officials. They show that he pushed the process in the direction of one of the bidders. They show that he sought to influence at the very least the then Taoiseach with a false claim concerning supposed Fianna Fáil links to another bidder. They show that a targeted programme of financial donations to Fine Gael and engagement with Fine Gael politicians was a core part of the strategy of the same bidder. They show that enough was known about this for Cabinet to have insisted on a detailed report on the process before a decision was made. No twisting by either Deputy Lowry or any Minister or anyone else, can get away from these facts."

But time has now passed and it appears that in seeking to form a government parties will look to the most unlikely of corners for support.

On Sunday, Martin stood by his 2011 comments, but also refused to see the issue with his party doing a deal with Lowry to secure power. Instead he moved to place some sort of blame on the grumpy media.

“I’ve watched the agenda in the last couple of weeks, it’s as if a lot of people in the commentary world are very disappointed with the outcome of this election,” Mr Martin said.

“From day one, it’s been negativity all the way towards this government and it hasn’t even been established.

“There needs to be a bit of balance here, Michael Lowry is not in government. He was nominated by the Regional Independents Group to chair their group for the negotiations.”

Martin will have a well deserved day in the sun today, but the Lowry shadow hasn't yet moved on.