'Leo is wiping the floor with you' - FF TDs criticise Micheál Martin's lack of leadership
British Minister Martin Taoiseach Boris On Prime Johnson Sought Conversations During With Micheal To His His Brexit Strong Stance Highlight Taken
Taoiseach Micheál Martin has again been on the receiving end of sustained and fierce criticism over his lack of leadership of his party from his own TDs.
A palpable sense of frustration was expressed from TDs within the party, even among those who would be seen as loyalists to Mr Martin.
“We have lost the people, the party is in a bad place and Micheál is not listening,” said one angry TD.
At a zoom teleconference meeting of the Fianna Fáil parliamentary party, Mr Martin was challenged directly by several of his party members including some of his own ministers who voiced concern about the party’s current low standing.
Many expressed anger at the fact the meeting was being held on Zoom as opposed to in the Convention Centre as originally planned.
FF PP: "What we have at the moment is not leadership, it is not even management, the PP is expected to be empty vessels eager to learn from master," said @MarcMacsharryTD according to sources #iestaff
— Daniel McConnell (@McConnellDaniel) September 10, 2020
Mr Martin said the decision to hold the virtual meeting to allow senators who were sitting in Leinster House join in, but several said they saw it as an attempt by the leader to prevent criticism or media leaks.
“He didn’t want tweets in the media saying this TD got an ovation for putting the boot in. There was a lot of anger at the zoom meeting,” said a TD.
Several sources present at the meeting said Robert Troy, the junior trade minister, reportedly hit out at the lack of inclusion by Mr Martin and his senior ministers of input from backbench TDs and even junior ministers in the formation of government policy.
MEPs Barry Andrews and Billy Kelleher were also said to be critical of the lack of a review into the “disastrous” general election result for the party in February.
Several FF TDs say the mood within the party is "very bad" with one saying if the country was in another place "something would have happened by now".
Breaking: Several FF TDs say the mood within the party is "very bad" with one saying were the country in another place "something would have happened by now" #iestaff
— Daniel McConnell (@McConnellDaniel) September 10, 2020
Several others said they agreed with direct criticism of Mr Martin from Marc MacSharry who told Mr Martin he was failing on several fronts to lead.
He called on Mr Martin to stop doing joint press conferences with Tánaiste Leo Varadkar.
He likened the relationship between the leader of the party and the TDs to one of a teacher and pupil.
Breaking: Marc MacSharry said the relationship between Micheál Martin and his TDs was one akin to a teacher:pupil one #iestaff
— Daniel McConnell (@McConnellDaniel) September 10, 2020
According to several sources, he said there is no leadership in the party, there isn’t even management and the Parliamentary Party is expected to be empty vessels eager to learn from the master.
Mr MacSharry is believed to have said: “Leo is wiping the floor with you and running rings around you. Every time you do it, you’re losing.”
Mr MacSharry also called on Mr Martin to stop the acting Chief Medical Officer from appearing on television every night saying he is “scaring the bejaysus out of people.”
Kilkenny TD John McGuinness reportedly told his leader that the party is in real trouble and they have “lost the people” on foot of events in recent weeks including ‘golf-gate’.
Mr McGuinness reportedly told his colleagues that a new party executive is needed which would involve replacing current chair Brendan Smith.
He said while it was nothing personal against Mr Smith but the parliamentary party should be electing its own chair at the start of every Dáil and not by acclamation as has been the case.
Mr Martin is said to have told his members that the selection of a chair and the executive is a matter for him to decide.
Mr Martin sought to highlight his strong stance taken on Brexit during his conversations with British Prime Minister Boris Johnson.
FF PP: TDs and MEP Billy Kelleher single Norma Foley out for praise over re-opening of schools, with some suggesting she could be the party's next deputy leader...."Micheál most likely to appoint a woman, and Norma is flavour of the month," said one TD #iestaff
— Daniel McConnell (@McConnellDaniel) September 10, 2020
There were also expressions of support for Education Minister Norma Foley over her handling of the Leaving Cert grade issue and the re-opening of schools.