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Taoiseach and Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin. PA Images

Micheál Martin says Fianna Fáil TDs will meet to review electoral performance after the summer break

Barry Cowen had written to party members and called for a special in-person meeting

TAOISEACH MICHEÁL MARTIN has agreed to an in-person think-in of the Fianna Fáil parliamentary party to review all recent elections during the first two days of September. 

Martin was speaking at a remote parliamentary party meeting at which he sought to quell disquiet about last week’s by-election result in which the party secured just 4.6% of the vote. 

The Taoiseach agreed to the in-person meeting after prominent backbench figures had raised concerns over about Fianna Fáil’s electoral performance and opinion poll numbers. 

Last weekend, Fianna Fáil TD Barry Cowen wrote to fellow party members and called for a special in-person meeting to address the by-election and 2020 general election results. 

Earlier this week, Martin had said that he was “open” to such a meeting and this evening told colleagues it will give the party a chance to discuss an internal party review into the 2020 general election. 

He told members that the party needs “collegiality and unity of purpose”.

“We are doing a lot of positive work with our government colleagues and Fianna Fáil members across the country want us to continue to do this. We get the problems in housing and we are determined to make a difference by building more social and affordable houses for people .

“Negative comments are damaging our party and should cease,” said the Taoiseach, who told the meeting that “leaking and sniping” by its own TDs is the biggest threat to the Fianna Fáil party right now.

The “greatest threat to Fianna Fail is ourselves”, he added.

Martin said he wanted to to work with all members, with the Taoiseach saying they will “constructively review our organisation, policy and identity”.

The Dáil is siting late this evening but following tomorrow’s sitting it will break for the seven-week summer recess. 

Questions over Martin’s ongoing leadership of the party were raised following last week’s by-election result.

In particular, they have focused on whether he will take on the role as Tánaiste when the office of Taoiseach switches to Fine Gael under the coalition deal and whether he will lead his party into the next general election. 

The mood among Fianna Fáilers this evening is that the Taoiseach had “circled the wagons” this week to firm up support from senior ministers.

“The Taoiseach has the numbers now”, said one TD, who said Martin is up for the fight if one is brought to him. 

The majority welcomed the opportunity to review the party’s performance at the last general election, with many saying it is “long overdue”.

Separately, Tánaiste Leo Varadkar told his party this evening that the plan currently is to speed up the vaccination programme, leave some restrictions in place and re-emphasise the public health messages.

Following push back within his own party as regards the new law that will only allow those immune to the virus through vaccination or having had Covid previously, he said the government decision on indoor dining would be reviewed in September.

Regarding the Summer Economic Statement, the government wants to move into a current account surplus in 2023, where it is only borrowing for capital expenditure and not day-to-day spending.

The meeting heard the cost of living is rising and pensioners, carers, widowers, those with a disability and others, have to be assisted with a welfare package. Varadkar said people also have o be protected from paying more of their salary at the highest rate of tax.

With reporting by Christina Finn

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    Mute John Duggan
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    Jul 14th 2021, 9:19 PM

    Ah yeah sure he’ll probably commission a report on it…

    The man sold out his party for two years in the hot seat seemingly without any idea of what he’d do once he got it. He needs to go.

    423
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    Mute Brian Madden
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    Jul 14th 2021, 9:24 PM

    @John Duggan: he waited all his political life to have the top job. Nothing was getting in his way. Dreadful taoiseach. FF are in big trouble

    405
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    Mute Frank Cauldhame
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    Jul 14th 2021, 9:45 PM

    @Brian Madden: FG’s Enda Kenny pulled a similar stroke when he became the first FG leader to gain a second term as Taoiseach in May 2016, job done he handed the reins over to Varadker in June 2017. Mission accomplished. Varadker becomes the unelected Taoiseach but FG perform badly at the next GE and form a desperate coalition with FF who also lose a huge share of their previous vote. Both parties legacy under these two leaders will be their failure in housing.

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    Mute Brian Madden
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    Jul 14th 2021, 9:50 PM

    @Frank Cauldhame: at least leo said he was happy to go into opposition after the last election. Micheal blatantly lied to the voters saying the public wanted FG out and after the election he immediately ruled out a coalition with SF and went to leo and agreed a partnership these two parties should be treated in the next election as one entity. Their policies appear interwoven. Almost nothing separates them.

    155
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    Mute Frank Cauldhame
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    Jul 14th 2021, 9:59 PM

    @Brian Madden: That really surprised me, Leo & FG accepting a partnership with FF after what Michail said about them in his pre-election attack. They must feel like right patsies. The people who voted for FF on the basis of Michails attack on FG on the eve of the last GE must feel like right patsies.

    110
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    Mute Brian Madden
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    Jul 14th 2021, 10:09 PM

    @Frank Cauldhame: his only aim was to get the top job. In his mind he deserved it and lying to the public didn’t bother him in the least. He is the wrong man for the job. He completely lacks vision and ambition and appears to look down on the electorate as if we are thick. FF are in very big trouble come the next election. They have become irrelevant.

    107
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    Mute Anne Warren
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    Jul 14th 2021, 10:37 PM

    @Frank Cauldhame: at least Kenny ensured NI would be admitted to EU if the people there voted for Reunification. That really was worth something

    7
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    Mute David Corrigan
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    Jul 14th 2021, 11:08 PM

    @Anne Warren: He should have looked after his own people when he has power. Setting up something that won’t happen in our lifetime means diddly squat.

    45
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    Mute David Corrigan
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    Jul 14th 2021, 11:09 PM

    @David Corrigan: *had

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    Mute Patrick O Connell
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    Jul 14th 2021, 11:22 PM

    @David Corrigan: we need sf in power, they are going to fix the housing and health crisis and reunify the country to start with.

    11
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    Mute Frank Cauldhame
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    Jul 14th 2021, 11:25 PM

    @Anne Warren: Every time I see Enda Kenny’s face I am reminded of his most famous quote, “It is morally wrong, unjust and unfair to tax a person’s home.”
    We are governed by spoofers.

    75
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    Mute James Cronin
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    Jul 15th 2021, 12:52 AM

    @John Duggan: Or maybe set up a task force to review it, and then wait till someone tells him it’s time to go, nothing would surprise me, worst ever

    28
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    Mute Margaret Kane
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    Jul 15th 2021, 9:52 AM

    @Frank Cauldhame: every politician is a liar

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    Mute Shane De Paor
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    Jul 14th 2021, 9:27 PM

    FF is finished. They are alien to most especially the younger generation.

    277
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    Mute Derek Moean
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    Jul 14th 2021, 9:18 PM

    I personally hope that FF and FG Greens go down the same road that the PDs went….Shame on them..

    327
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    Mute adrian j aungier
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    Jul 14th 2021, 9:23 PM

    That should be a quick meeting. FF are a joke of a party and are irrelevant in modern day Ireland. Sold out to FG and are out of touch with the ordinary people. Ministers are unqualified for most of their roles.

    260
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    Mute Eoin
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    Jul 14th 2021, 9:52 PM

    @adrian j aungier: So true. Whatever about MM being poor, that’s just one person, but the core ministers are all so bad too

    142
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    Mute Ronaldo Blanc
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    Jul 14th 2021, 9:28 PM

    He’s probably going to set up a commission to investigate who’ll come back with their findings in about 5 years time. He deflects every issue as it means he doesn’t have to make a decision and be accountable for it .

    173
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    Mute Paul Gorry
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    Jul 14th 2021, 9:39 PM

    The day he appointed that spoofer Donnelly minister for health was the day Michael Martin lost any credibility he might have had. Imo

    162
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    Mute a
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    Jul 14th 2021, 9:41 PM

    Would have voted FF up until the Economic crash of years ago and the performance of the two stooges on Rte in relation to the IMF. Swore I wouldn’t vote for them again and haven’t. For someone on the outside looking in you would have to ask what are they offering these days? Absolutely nothing. The new guard are hopeless. Totally out of their depth in most Ministerial roles. The Minister for Health is a disaster. The Taoiseach has been a disgrace. His CMO is running the show. They are a spent force. Getting rid of the power hungry Martin won’t stop their demise at this stage. They will become a small irrelevant party very soon.

    194
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    Mute Brian Madden
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    Jul 14th 2021, 9:55 PM

    @a: don’t forget about norma Foley being totally useless and they are on their third minister for agriculture. Micheal thought it was his right to get the top job, his right of passage after his years as a TD. He lied to the public to get the top job, a job that he doesn’t deserve. He is a shockingly bad taoiseach.

    162
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    Mute Rochelle
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    Jul 14th 2021, 11:14 PM

    @a: Micheál is a poor taoiseach but to his credit he at least had the conviction to sack Barry Cowan and Dara Calleary with very little hesitation. The more I think about the more I realise that for as disappointing as Micheál is he’s still probably the best option FF have, their alternatives are horrendously terrible and I’m not sure any of them other than Jim O’Callaghan actually want to lead. It’s a party full of chancers looking to collect their expenses and pension and the last thing they want is responsibility.

    But ultimately FF in this government will be judged on how they deliver on the main election issue of housing. At the moment that’s going about as badly as anyone could imagine considering the situation for renters and first time buyers continues to get worse.

    45
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    Mute Anna Carr
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    Jul 14th 2021, 10:19 PM

    Why are they breaking for the summer. I don’t see any other workers, who are still in work I mean, taking 6-8 weeks holidays. And in the middle of this crisis. It’s a crime the way they behave.

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    Mute Derek Long
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    Jul 15th 2021, 6:46 AM

    @Anna Carr:” what crisis Ted”

    11
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    Mute high ho silver
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    Jul 14th 2021, 9:59 PM

    They broke the country FG selling the country out with FFs help imagine voting for these party’s you would want to be mad voting to be robbed by all the mistakes they made and they still get there golden pensions we’re still paying for PMPA USC suppose to be temporary the E voting machines the list goes on

    116
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    Mute Xylophobiac
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    Jul 14th 2021, 10:22 PM

    They are off on their summer break whilst amidst a pandemic?

    Sound lads.

    98
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    Mute Brian Corr
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    Jul 14th 2021, 9:35 PM

    Ask them now…..why the F*<k are they getting holidays at this time. I can’t wait for the next election how can we speed it up!!!

    156
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    Mute D
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    Jul 14th 2021, 11:57 PM

    No article about the big protest outside the Convention centre because of the vaccination bill? Hmm very strange indeed surely a big event as such would be publised by “mainstream media”. Very peculiar

    56
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    Mute Stephen Grehan
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    Jul 15th 2021, 3:25 AM

    @D: Slithering like snakes off on their holidays after rushing in medical apartheid. This isn’t over yet more protests on the way.

    31
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    Mute Cookie
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    Jul 14th 2021, 11:30 PM

    FF is finished.

    Their decision to protect vulture funds last week is the death knell for that horrible party.

    88
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    Mute Maurizio
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    Jul 14th 2021, 10:15 PM

    Pack your bags Mehole

    79
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    Mute Smithweiser
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    Jul 14th 2021, 9:18 PM

    Enjoy the holidays lads ye deserve it. /s

    58
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    Mute Niall Power
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    Jul 14th 2021, 10:25 PM

    Possibly the worst Taoiseach in the history of the country,

    Which is some accolade when you look at the donkeys that preceded him!

    124
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    Mute Diarmuid O'Braonáin
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    Jul 15th 2021, 12:23 AM

    MM is the most useless politician I’ve seen in a long while. Listening to the dail every response to a question is met by an attack if its SF. Ridicule if it’s someone else. He talks down to the other politicians as if their beneath him. Most of the time he doesn’t even answer the question. We get waffle and then his buddy comes in to save his skin saying “times up, times up”. What’s the point if he can’t answer basic questions. Regarding housing, Mary Lou pinned him today and his reply was all about what he was going/intend to do. Intentions are great and all but unless you deliver on something intentions are just words. They mean nothing. People are under pressure and deserve more.

    69
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    Mute Paul Gorry
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    Jul 14th 2021, 9:18 PM

    Should be fun!

    36
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    Mute Darren
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    Jul 14th 2021, 9:32 PM

    Me hole

    65
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    Mute Mary Nugent
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    Jul 14th 2021, 10:30 PM

    Give me just a little more time.

    24
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    Mute Derek Lyster
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    Jul 15th 2021, 7:52 AM

    All the meetings in the world wont save FF, they are a party of verge of collapse. They haven’t an ounce of credibility with the public especially after going into power with FG.

    24
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    Mute trebloc01
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    Jul 14th 2021, 10:49 PM

    Ye’re fooked anyway

    30
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    Mute Kieran Byrne
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    Jul 15th 2021, 1:30 AM

    Get lost

    12
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    Mute Margaret Kane
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    Jul 15th 2021, 9:50 AM

    I hope he never comes back from his summer break put him and leo and the rest of them on a desert island

    11
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    Mute Jim O'Sullivan
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    Jul 15th 2021, 8:39 AM

    Will he last that long? His plan to reopen pubs and cafes is a train crash in motion. Don’t be surprised if we are in a hard lockdown again by September

    10
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    Mute Corkonian In Dublin
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    Jul 15th 2021, 9:47 AM

    The only thing that will save Fianna Fáil in the next election is to finally admit that they and Fine Gael are one in the same and join together. It’s the only way either party stand a chance for their almost 100 year failure of protecting the Irish People. Hospitals Fail, Affordable housing Fail, Upkeep of public infrastructure Fail.
    This is just a partial list.

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    Mute Michael Wynne
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    Jul 15th 2021, 8:03 AM

    Here…I will do it for him.
    1) Director of election was Jim O Callaghan. Not on good terms with Micheal. Jim did not want another FF td in his constituency because come next GE, that would split the FF vote and be a massive threat to his seat.
    2) The electorate despises FF even more now than they did over a year ago.
    3) The candidate wasn’t great in fairness.
    4) Regardless of who was nominated, Ivana Bacik was nailed on for that seat

    8
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    Mute Seamus Ryan
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    Jul 15th 2021, 3:21 AM

    Yerra, he doing his best

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    Mute kieran
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    Jul 15th 2021, 9:39 AM

    He has done an excellent job under very difficult circumstances. Fair play to him. He will get my vote and many others next time round!

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    Mute trebloc01
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    Jul 15th 2021, 9:06 AM

    I’ve told him time n time again he needs to stop zzzzz

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