97-400: Micheál Martin ( Irish: [ˈmʲiːçaːl̪ˠ] ; born 1 August 1960) is an Irish Fianna Fáil politician who is serving as Tánaiste , Minister for Foreign Affairs , and Minister for Defence since December 2022. He served as Taoiseach from 2020 to 2022 and has been Leader of Fianna Fáil since January 2011. He has been a TD for Cork South-Central since 1989. He served as Leader of
194-508: A cabinet reshuffle on 13 May 2008, following the election of Brian Cowen as Taoiseach , Martin became Minister for Foreign Affairs. One of the first issues that he had to deal with was the referendum on the Treaty of Lisbon . Martin led the government campaign. Despite the overwhelming majority of government and opposition parties supporting a Yes vote, the electorate rejected the government's recommendation. Martin and Cowen failed to convince
291-464: A No vote. Leader Micheál Martin signalled his own desire for a Yes vote, but was unable to bring the party under one stance, and ultimately more than half of Fianna Fáil's TDs campaigned for a No vote. On polling day the Yes side won, 66% to 33%. After the 2020 general election , for the first time in history, Fianna Fáil entered into a coalition government with its traditional rival Fine Gael, as well as
388-528: A TD, Martin served on a number of Oireachtas committees, including those dealing with crime, finance and the Irish language. He served as Lord Mayor of Cork in 1992. Two years later, in December 1994, Bertie Ahern was elected as the new leader of Fianna Fáil, as the party lost power and went into opposition. Martin, however, joined Ahern's new front bench at the start of 1995 as Spokesperson on Education and
485-485: A book: Freedom to Choose: Cork and Party Politics in Ireland 1918–1932 . Martin's time as a teacher was short-lived: he left after just one year to become a full-time politician, when he secured election to Cork Corporation as a Fianna Fáil candidate in 1985. It was from this local base that he decided to embark on a career in national politics a little under two years later. Martin was one of four candidates who secured
582-420: A decade now, a socially conservative, supposedly republican party has been led by a centrist social liberal with a more cautious position on Irish unification than even Leo Varadkar ." In the early 20th century, Fianna Fáil had a more explicitly working-class orientation. In 1926, Seán Lemass described the party as "a progressive republican party based on the actual conditions of the moment" while upon winning
679-486: A disastrous early-morning radio interview on Morning Ireland . Cowen survived; however, that same month Martin admitted that he and other cabinet members, namely Brian Lenihan and Dermot Ahern , harboured ambitions to lead the party should a vacancy arise. While some backbench rebel Fianna Fáil TDs and senators called for Cowen to go, no cabinet minister publicly came forward to challenge the incumbent. In spite of this, Martin once again expressed an interest in running for
776-647: A full workplace smoking ban. In the same year, Martin established the Health Service Executive . He served as Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment from 2004 to 2008, before being appointed Minister for Foreign Affairs by Ahern's successor, Brian Cowen. In 2009, Martin became the first Irish foreign minister to travel to Latin America, during which time he also made the first official visit to Cuba by any Irish minister. Martin also visited Khartoum during his time as Foreign Minister, following
873-487: A generation that will build a new Ireland, an Ireland of which we can all be proud". Fianna Fáil has not contested any elections in Northern Ireland since its registration and recognition there in 2007. At the party's 2014 Ard Fheis, a motion was passed without debate to stand candidates for election north of the border for the first time in 2019. Since 24 January 2019, the party have been in partnership with
970-469: A modest recovery, with a representation of 44 seats in the 158-member parliament. In 2016, he was nominated for Taoiseach, but no nominees received enough votes to be nominated as Taoiseach. Martin was also the party Spokesperson on Northern Ireland. In January 2018, Martin stated that he would support a relaxation of Ireland's abortion stance, citing "cruel inflexibility and unintended consequences". Specifically, he said "he would vote in favour of repealing
1067-568: A more social liberal profile. Fianna Fáil supported the unsuccessful 2024 Irish constitutional referendums , which would have deleted a reference to women’s domestic duties and broadened the definition of the family. Evidence from expert surveys, opinion polls and candidate surveys have failed to identify strong distinctions between Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael. Fianna Fáil is generally considered more populist and economically interventionist than its rival. University College Dublin professor Thomas Däubler wrote that Fianna Fáil had "made
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#17327721354731164-490: A move to the centre" in the 2016 election , which resulted in Fine Gael being placed "considerably to the right" of Fianna Fáil. In 2020, Time magazine described Fianna Fáil as "slightly more socially conservative and further to the left on the economy" than Fine Gael. Fianna Fáil has been described in modern times as struggling with its identity as a party. In 2023, Jack Sheehan of The Irish Times wrote that "for
1261-460: A number of sources suggested might have been the single worst result in its history when the party polled extremely poorly in the 2021 Dublin Bay South by-election . The result prompted Jim O'Callaghan and Cathal Crowe to question whether Martin should lead the party into its next general election. In February 2023, former leader Bertie Ahern rejoined the party, having left in 2012. Over
1358-535: A one-year extension between his party and Fine Gael in Ireland's "national interest". On 27 June 2020, Martin was elected as Taoiseach , in a historic coalition agreement that saw his party Fianna Fáil go into government with the Green Party and Fianna Fáil's historical rivals, Fine Gael . A majority of 93 members of the Dáil voted in favour of him taking the role, while 63 members voted against him. As part of
1455-610: A piece of legislation which prohibited the sale of groceries below cost price. Letters containing death threats and shotgun cartridges, from a group calling itself the Irish Citizens Defence Force, were posted to Martin on 29 February 2008, at a prominent Dublin fertility clinic. On the resignation of Bertie Ahern as Taoiseach in May 2008, Martin supported Brian Cowen's bid for the Fianna Fáil leadership. In
1552-470: A report by academic experts writing for the votewatch.eu site found that FF "do not seem to toe the political line" of the ALDE Group "when it comes to budget and civil liberties" issues. In the 2014 European elections , Fianna Fáil received 22.3% of first-preference votes but only returned a single MEP , a reduction in representation of two MEPs from the previous term. This was due to a combination of
1649-635: A review of the primary school curriculum and the introduction of special needs assistants, were also initiated. In a cabinet reshuffle in January 2000, Martin was appointed Minister for Health and Children. Martin's predecessor, Brian Cowen , described the position as "like being in Angola ", because 'landmines' can go off at any time. Despite tough opposition, Martin introduced a ban on tobacco smoking in all Irish workplaces, including pubs and restaurants. On 30 January 2003 he announced his intention to have
1746-621: A social hosted by the Oireachtas Golf Society which was contrary to national health guidelines surrounding the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic . In July 2021, Fianna Fáil suffered what many sources called the party's worst-ever electoral defeat when the party polled extremely poorly in the 2021 Dublin Bay South by-election . Subsequently, there was much unrest within Fianna Fáil, with a number of TDs such as Jim O'Callaghan , Cathal Crowe , James Lawless and Marc MacSharry openly questioning in public whether or not Martin should lead
1843-472: Is a centre to centre-right political party in Ireland . Ideological classifications of the party vary; the party is commonly referred to as conservative , though it has also been described as Christian democratic , liberal or ideologically ambiguous. The party was founded as a republican party in 1926 by Éamon de Valera and his supporters after they split from Sinn Féin in order to take seats in
1940-698: Is a member of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe and of Liberal International . From February 2019 to September 2022, Fianna Fáil was in partnership with the Social Democratic and Labour Party in Northern Ireland . Fianna Fáil was founded by Éamon de Valera , a former leader of Sinn Féin . The previous year, de Valera proposed a motion calling for elected members to be allowed to take their seats in Dáil Éireann if and when
2037-548: Is acknowledged for having successfully guided Ireland through World War II unscathed but is criticised for leaving Ireland in economic and cultural stagnation. His successors such as Lemass however were able to turn around Ireland's economic fortunes as well as primed the country for entry into the European Economic Community , later the European Union . Fianna Fáil's fortunes began to falter in
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#17327721354732134-558: Is primarily cited as being on the centre or centre-right of the political spectrum . Fianna Fáil's ideology has been characterised both as conservative and ambiguous or malleable. The party has also been ideologically described as centrist , Christian-democratic , liberal-conservative , populist , conservative-liberal , socially conservative , liberal , national-liberal and national-conservative . In 2017, academics Eoin O'Malley and Sean McGraw wrote that Fianna Fáil "appears centrist, conservative, and attached to
2231-720: The International Herald Tribune . Martin was Minister for Foreign Affairs during the Gaza flotilla raid and the aftermath of this incident. He told Dáil Éireann that he had requested that the Israeli government allow the MV Rachel Corrie to deliver its cargo of aid to Gaza instead of involving itself in "further bloodshed". In September 2010, doubts about Brian Cowen's abilities and political judgment as Taoiseach and party leader emerged following
2328-448: The 1932 Irish general election , newly elected Fianna Fáil TD Seán Moylan proclaimed that Fianna Fáil's win meant a victory of "the owners of the donkey and cart over the pony and trap class". The Fianna Fáil party of the 1930s has been described as an economically social democratic one that sought to create an economically independent state ( autarky ) via protectionist policies, based on its culturally nationalist thinking. During
2425-626: The Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe (ALDE) Group in the European Parliament after the 2009 European elections . In October 2009, it was reported that Fianna Fáil had irritated its new Liberal colleagues by failing to vote for the motion on press freedom in Italy (resulting in its defeat by a majority of one in the Parliament) and by trying to scupper their party colleagues' initiative for gay rights . In January 2010,
2522-484: The Gaeltacht . When Fianna Fáil returned to power following the 1997 general election , Martin was appointed to the newly expanded position of Minister for Education and Science. Aged 36, he was the youngest member of Bertie Ahern 's first cabinet. As Minister for Education and Science, his tenure was characterised by an increase in spending at all levels of education, while a number of educational initiatives, such as
2619-431: The Green Party , ending its longest period out of government since its formation. Under the agreement, Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin served as Taoiseach for the first half of the parliamentary term. That same year a number of Fianna Fáil members were involved in the " Golfgate " scandal, an event that ultimately led to the resignation of Fianna Fáil deputy leader Dara Calleary . In July 2021 Fianna Fáil suffered what
2716-628: The Irish Free State from within. Fianna Fáil's platform of economic autarky had appeal among the farmers, working-class people and the poor, while alienating more affluent classes. It largely pre-empted voters of the aforementioned groups from the Labour Party (with its almost identical economic and social policy) following its entry into the Dáil in 1927. Fianna Fáil would go on to style themselves for several decades as "the real Labour Party." Cumann na nGaedheal sought to exploit
2813-480: The Oireachtas , which Sinn Féin refused to recognise. Since 1927, Fianna Fáil has been one of Ireland's two major parties, along with Fine Gael since 1933; both are seen as centre-right parties, to the right of the Labour Party and Sinn Féin. The party dominated Irish political life for most of the 20th century, and, since its foundation, either it or Fine Gael has led every government. Between 1932 and 2011, it
2910-509: The Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP) formerly the main Irish nationalist party in Northern Ireland, but now smaller than Sinn Féin . There had long been speculation about the eventual partnership for several years prior. This was initially met with a negative reaction from Seamus Mallon , former Deputy Leader of the SDLP, who stated he would be opposed to any such merger. Former leader of
3007-592: The kidnapping of Sharon Commins and Hilda Kawuki with the Sudanese government. On 7 February 2010, he defended the €4.4 million redevelopment of the Irish embassy in Ottawa , Canada. While in Brussels on 22 February 2010, he questioned Foreign Affairs Minister of Israel Avigdor Lieberman over the use of fraudulent Irish passports in the assassination of Mahmoud al-Mabhouh . On 17 March 2010, he met President of
Micheál Martin - Misplaced Pages Continue
3104-447: The kidnapping of Sharon Commins and Hilda Kawuki . In January 2011, Martin resigned as Foreign Minister in protest at Cowen's leadership. Following Cowen's own resignation as Leader of Fianna Fáil, Martin was quickly elected to replace him. Just weeks later, at the 2011 general election , Martin led Fianna Fáil to the worst result in its 85-year history, with a loss of 57 seats and a popular vote of just 17.4%. He nevertheless remained in
3201-475: The 1940s and 1950s, and offered free health care to those affected. In September 2004, he exchanged government positions with Mary Harney , to become Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment . The following September, the government's economic record on the cost of living came under scrutiny from the RTÉ television programme Rip-Off Republic . This led to Martin abolishing the controversial Groceries Order 1987,
3298-506: The 1970s and 1980s. In 1970 the Arms Crisis threatened to split the entire party in two when Fianna Fáil cabinet ministers Charles Haughey and Neil Blaney were dismissed by Jack Lynch after being accused of seeking to provide arms to the newly emergent Provisional Irish Republican Army . Factional infighting over Northern Ireland, economics and the "moral issues" such as the legalization of divorce, abortion, and contraception plagued
3395-402: The 1990s, Fianna Fáil was described as a conservative and nationalist party. The following are the terms of office as party leader and as Taoiseach: Charles Haughey Fianna Fáil was the most electorally successful party in 20th-century democratic Europe . Ógra Fianna Fáil serves as the party's official youth wing. On 17 September 2007, Fianna Fáil announced that the party would for
3492-555: The 2007 election, the party's structure has significantly weakened. This was in part exacerbated by significant infighting between candidates in the run-up to the 2011 general election. The Irish Times estimated that half of its 3,000 cumainn were effectively moribund. This fraction rose in Dublin with the exception of Dublin West , the former seat of both Brian Lenihan Snr and Brian Lenihan Jnr . Inactive Defunct Fianna Fáil
3589-675: The Cork City South Central Local Electoral Area. He was co-opted to the Council in July 1997 to the seat vacated by his brother, Micheál , following his Ministerial appointment after the 1997 Irish general election . Seán Martin retained his seat in the 1999 Irish local elections and at each subsequent election. He works with the ESB and served as Lord Mayor of Cork from 2004 to 2005. As of 2021, Martin
3686-512: The Eighth Amendment and to allow abortion on request until near the end of the first trimester," leading to some political conflict within Fianna Fáil. 31 of the party's TDs and Senators posed for a photograph showing their opposition to repealing the eighth amendment, with over half of the parliamentary party supporting a No vote. In October 2018, there was confusion within the party when Sorcha McAnespy said that Martin had told her she
3783-683: The Fianna Fáil nomination to run in the Cork South-Central constituency at the 1987 general election ; however, of the four he polled the fewest first-preference votes and failed to be elected. He became a member of the Fianna Fáil national executive in 1988. In 1989, Taoiseach Charles Haughey called a snap election , and Martin was once again added to the Fianna Fáil ticket in Cork South-Central, and on that occasion he secured election to Dáil Éireann . He has been re-elected at each election since. In his first few years as
3880-714: The Fianna Fáil party whip withdrawn. He has since been re-added to Fianna Fáil's website. In the European Committee of the Regions , Fianna Fáil sits in the Renew Europe CoR group, with two full and two alternate members for the 2020–2025 mandate. Kate Feeney is third vice-president of the Group. Se%C3%A1n Martin Seán Martin is a Fianna Fáil Councillor on Cork City Council representing
3977-554: The Irish public to support the ratification of the Treaty of Lisbon , and this protest expressed in the referendum on 12 June 2008 plunged the government into a major political crisis. In February 2009, Martin travelled to Latin America for the first time, making stopovers in Mexico and Havana ; it was the first time an Irish government Minister had made an official visit to Cuba . In September 2009, he travelled to Khartoum to discuss
Micheál Martin - Misplaced Pages Continue
4074-515: The Opposition from 2011 to 2020 and held various Cabinet offices under Bertie Ahern and Brian Cowen . Born in Cork , Martin initially worked as a teacher before entering politics. He was elected to Cork City Council in 1985, and served as Lord Mayor of Cork from 1992 to 1993. In 1989 , he was first elected to Dáil Éireann for Cork South-Central, a seat he has represented ever since. After
4171-714: The SDLP Margaret Ritchie originally stated publicly that she opposed any merger, announcing to the Labour Party Conference that such a merger would not happen on her "watch". On 10 January 2019, Richie stated that she now supported a new partnership with Fianna Fáil. Both Fianna Fáil and the SDLP currently have shared policies on key areas including addressing the current political situation in Northern Ireland, improving public services in both jurisdictions of Ireland, such as healthcare, housing, education, and governmental reform, and bringing about
4268-686: The United States Barack Obama in the White House , alongside Taoiseach Brian Cowen. On 26 May 2010, he met with senior Chinese leaders in Beijing, to discuss relations between China and Ireland , before travelling onward to Shanghai. While there, he visited the Irish pavilion at Expo 2010 in the city. On 28 June 2010, he began a five-day trip to Uganda and Ethiopia , where he visited buildings and met ministers and businesspeople. As Minister for Foreign Affairs, Martin
4365-582: The agreement, Varadkar became Tánaiste in Martin's government, and swapped roles with Martin in December 2022, approximately two-and-a-half years into the five-year parliamentary term. In July 2020, following drunk-driving revelations, he sacked Barry Cowen as Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine . Cowen's successor Dara Calleary resigned that August following the Golfgate scandal , having attended
4462-800: The appointment of Varadkar to the office. Martin was born in 1960 in Cork and was raised in the Turners Cross area. Martin was the son of Paddy Martin (1923–2012), a former soldier in the Defence Forces , CIÉ bus driver and Irish international boxer, and Eileen "Lana" Corbett (1929–2010). He was the third child in a family of five. Martin's eldest brother Seán and his twin brother Pádraig subsequently became involved in local politics in Cork. His two younger sisters, Eileen and Máiréad, have remained apolitical. Martin attended Coláiste Chríost Rí before studying arts at University College Cork . It
4559-526: The ban in place on 1 January 2004. He visited New York in September 2003 to look at how a similar ban worked there, and signed the UN's framework convention on tobacco control at their headquarters. The smoking ban was introduced on 29 March 2004, making Ireland the first country in the world to introduce a blanket ban on smoking in the workplace. On 4 September 2004 Martin was presented with an award for his work on
4656-677: The border in September 2007 in northern universities, and established two 'Political Societies', the William Drennan Cumann in Queens University, Belfast, and the Watty Graham Cumann in UU Magee, Derry, which subsequently became official units of Fianna Fáil's youth wing, attaining full membership and voting rights, and attained official voting delegates at the 2012 Ard Fheis. On 23 February 2008, it
4753-433: The contest and their surplus votes distributed, Martin emerged with 50 votes and was duly elected the eighth leader of Fianna Fáil. After election, he pledged to reinvigorate Fianna Fáil from its traditional centre ground roots, believing that Fianna Fáil has never delivered to the Irish people through the labels of left and right. Martin led the party into the 2011 general election , which saw Fianna Fáil swept from power in
4850-470: The controversial Oath of Allegiance was removed. It failed to pass at the Sinn Féin Ard Fheis , leading de Valera and a number of other members, including most of Sinn Féin's parliamentary talent, to split from Sinn Féin. His new party adopted its name on 2 April of the same year. While it was also opposed to the Treaty settlement , it rejected abstentionism, instead aiming to republicanise
4947-534: The course of 2024, several sitting Fianna Fáil councillors and former party members left to join the right-wing Independent Ireland party. Fianna Fáil uses a structure called a cumann system. The basic unit was the cumann (branch); these were grouped into comhairlí ceantair (district branches) and a comhairle dáil ceantair (constituency branch) in every constituency. The party claimed that in 2005 they had 50,000 registered names, but only an estimated 10,000–15,000 members were considered active. However, from
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#17327721354735044-432: The early 1990s onward, the cumann structure was weakened. Every cumann was entitled to three votes to selection conventions irrespective of its size; hence, a large number of cumainn had become in effect "paper cumainn ", the only use of which was to ensure an aspiring or sitting candidate got enough votes. Although this phenomenon was nothing new (the most famous example being Neil Blaney 's "Donegal Mafia"). Since
5141-504: The early 2000s, Fianna Fáil leader Bertie Ahern affirmed the party's catch-all stance by defining Fianna Fáil as a party that "looks out for the small ranking guy, the middle-ranking guy and assists the big guy". In 2023, party leader Micheál Martin described Fianna Fáil as "a progressive republican party which rejects the failed and destructive idea that you must conform to the traditional left/right ideology". Between 1989 and 2011, Fianna Fáil led coalition governments with parties of both
5238-577: The election of 2011. Its longest continuous period in office was its first, 15 years and 11 months (March 1932 – February 1948). Its longest single period out of office in the 20th century was four years and four months (March 1973 – July 1977). All of the party's leaders have served as Taoiseach . The party's most dominant era was the 41-year period between 1932 and 1973, when party leaders Éamon de Valera, Seán Lemass and Jack Lynch served as Taoiseach in an almost unbroken chain save for two three-year stints by John A. Costello . De Valera's reign
5335-544: The election. Cowen's premiership was sharply criticised in the media, with The Sunday Times describing Cowen's tenure as Taoiseach as "a dismal failure" and in 2011 the Irish Independent calling Cowen the "worst Taoiseach in the history of the State." Martin continued to lead Fianna Fáil past 2011; In the 2016 general election Martin's Fianna Fáil made a moderate recovery while Fine Gael retained control of
5432-508: The first Western foreign minister to visit Gaza since Hamas took control in 2007. While in Gaza, the Minister toured hospitals and schools. He was accompanied by United Nations vehicles. I would appeal to the Israeli government and all concerned to lift this blockade. Micheál Martin appeals to Israel while in Gaza on 25 February 2010. The following week Martin wrote about his experience in
5529-498: The first time organise in Northern Ireland. The then Foreign Minister Dermot Ahern was asked to chair a committee on the matter: "In the period ahead Dermot Ahern will lead efforts to develop that strategy for carrying through this policy, examining timescales and structures. We will act gradually and strategically. We are under no illusions. It will not be easy. It will challenge us all. But I am confident we will succeed". The party embarked on its first ever recruitment drive north of
5626-424: The further unity and cooperation of the people on the island and arrangements for a future poll on Irish reunification . In September 2022, SDLP party leader Colum Eastwood announced the end of its partnership with Fianna Fáil, saying that the SDLP needed to move forward by "standing on its own two feet". Fianna Fáil joined the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe (ALDE) party on 16 April 2009, and
5723-403: The government as a minority government , made possible by a confidence and supply agreement with Fianna Fáíl. In 2018 the party was divided internally over how the party would handle that year's referendum on the Eighth Amendment , the provision in the Irish constitution which forbade abortion , with a significant portion of both the parliamentary party and the ordinary membership in favour of
5820-615: The historic principles of European republican philosophy , namely liberty, equality and fraternity ". The party's main goal at its beginning was to reunite the North and the South. Fianna Fáil is supportive of the European Union . Although part of the liberal Renew group in the European Parliament, its liberal nature has been disputed. As of 2009, Fianna Fáil did not always support Renew's positions on civil liberties though
5917-462: The history of the Irish state. This loss was described as "historic" in its proportions and "unthinkable". The party sank from being the largest in the Dáil to the third-largest, losing 58 of its 78 seats. This broke 79 consecutive years of Fianna Fáil being the largest single party in the Dáil. That election took place with Micheál Martin as leader, as Cowen had resigned as party leader in January 2011, although retained his role as Taoiseach until
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#17327721354736014-437: The largest opposition party, and it entered a confidence and supply arrangement with a Fine Gael–led minority government . In 2020, after a number of months of political stalemate following the general election , Fianna Fáil agreed with Fine Gael and the Green Party to enter into an unprecedented coalition, with the leaders of Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael rotating between the roles of Taoiseach and Tánaiste . Fianna Fáil
6111-417: The leadership of Fianna Fáil once the vacancy arises in December 2010 on RTÉ 's Saturday View radio programme. On 16 January 2011, Martin announced that he would vote against Brian Cowen in the upcoming confidence motion in his leadership of the party. He offered to resign as Minister for Foreign Affairs, but his resignation was initially refused by Cowen. Following the result of the motion, which Cowen won,
6208-517: The leadership of Fianna Fáil. He was immediately seen as the front-runner; however, a number of other candidates, including Brian Lenihan Éamon Ó Cuív and Mary Hanafin , entered the field to ensure a contest. On 26 January 2011, the Fianna Fáil parliamentary party met to elect a new leader . Martin was proposed by Dara Calleary and seconded by Áine Brady and received 33 first-preference votes. After Hanafin and Lenihan had been eliminated from
6305-492: The leadership of Seán Lemass in the 1960s, Fianna Fáil began to utilise some corporatist policies (embracing the concept of ' social partnership '), taking some influence from the Roman Catholic Church. It was also during Lemass' time that the party shifted heavily away from autarkic thinking and towards a firm belief in free trade and foreign direct investment in Ireland. In 1967, Jack Lynch described
6402-410: The leadership, becoming Leader of the Opposition. At the 2016 general election , Fianna Fáil's performance improved significantly, more than doubling their representation in the Dáil, with Martin continuing as Leader of the Opposition. Martin led his party through the 2020 general election , which led to Fianna Fáil becoming the largest party in the Dáil by just one seat. After lengthy negotiations, he
6499-408: The left and the right. Fianna Fáil's platform contains a number of enduring commitments: to Irish unity ; to the promotion and protection of the Irish language ; and to maintaining Ireland's tradition of military neutrality . The party's name and logo incorporates the words 'The Republican Party'. According to Fianna Fáil, "Republican here stands both for the unity of the island and a commitment to
6596-491: The most significant split in the party's history when a large portion of the membership walked out to create the Progressive Democrats in 1985, under the leadership of Haughey archrival Desmond O'Malley . Haughey was forced to resign as Taoiseach and party leader in 1992 following revelations about his role in a phone tapping scandal . Although the two parties had seemed poised to be bitter enemies owing to
6693-834: The next cabinet meeting from the Irish embassy in Washington . Martin made an official visit to Ukraine in July 2022 amidst the Russian invasion of Ukraine . This was the first official visit made by a Taoiseach to Ukraine. Martin stated he would provide support for Ukraine joining the European Union and condemned attacks on civilians. Fianna F%C3%A1il Fianna Fáil ( / ˌ f iː ( ə ) n ə ˈ f ɔɪ l , - ˈ f ɔː l / FEE -(ə-)nə FOYL , - FAWL , Irish: [ˌfʲiən̪ˠə ˈfˠaːlʲ] ; meaning "Soldiers of Destiny" or "Warriors of Fál "), officially Fianna Fáil – The Republican Party ( Irish : Fianna Fáil – An Páirtí Poblachtánach ),
6790-459: The notion that Fianna Fáil was a party in thrall to communists. During the 1932 general election campaign, Cumann na nGaedheal declared in a newspaper advert that "the gunmen and Communists are voting for Fianna Fáil today – vote for the Government party." However, Fianna Fáil won the election, forming its first government on 9 March 1932. It was in power for 61 of the 79 years between then and
6887-450: The parliamentary party. This caused resentment from Fianna Fáil Councillors and incumbent Fianna Fáil Senators. Only five of the recommended ten were elected, although the party performed better than expected winning fourteen seats. In August 2011, Martin approached Gay Byrne as a possible nominee for the presidential election , but this approach caused controversy within his party, who favoured an internal candidate, Brian Crowley , which
6984-419: The party as "left of centre" while suggesting it was to the left of Fine Gael and Labour. However, during the 1969 Irish general election , the party ran red scare tactics against Labour after it began using the slogan "the seventies will be socialist!". As Fine Gael became more and more socially liberal in the 1970s under Garret FitzGerald , the party reacted by embracing social conservatism and populism. In
7081-511: The party did legalize same-sex civil partnerships in 2010. In 2014, Fianna Fáil expelled MEP Brian Crowley for joining the right-wing European Conservatives and Reformists Group , with the party stating that "the ideas and principles of the ECR group and its component parties are totally incompatible with the core principles of Fianna Fáil". In recent years, Fianna Fáil has increasingly been seen as divided on social issues, and as moving towards
7178-404: The party in this era and grew particularly intense when Charles Haughey later became party leader. Under Haughey, Fianna Fáil lost both the 1981 general election and November 1982 general election to Garret FitzGerald 's Fine Gael during a particularly chaotic time in Ireland's political and economic history. Numerous failed internal attempts to oust Haughey as leader of the party culminated in
7275-612: The party into the next general election. Late on 16 March 2022, Martin tested positive for COVID-19 while he was at an event in Washington, D.C., United States, being held for St Patrick's Day . This meant Martin could not personally meet President of the United States Joe Biden at the White House as planned the next day. Biden and Martin met virtually instead, with Martin isolating in Blair House . Unable to return to Ireland as planned, Martin planned to chair
7372-687: The party's Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) sat in the ALDE Group during the 7th European Parliament term from June 2009 to 1 July 2014. The party is a full member of the Liberal International . Prior to this, the party was part of the Eurosceptic Union for Europe of the Nations parliamentary group between 1999 and 2009. Party headquarters, over the objections of some MEPs, had made several attempts to sever
7469-648: The party's links to the European right, including an aborted 2004 agreement to join the European Liberal Democrat and Reform (ELDR) Party, with whom it already sat in the Council of Europe under the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe (ALDE) banner. On 27 February 2009, Taoiseach Brian Cowen announced that Fianna Fáil proposed to join the ELDR Party and intended to sit with them in
7566-411: The party's slow development towards all-Ireland politics, Mr. Cowen observed: "We have a very open and pragmatic approach. We are a constitutional republican party and we make no secret of the aspirations on which this party was founded. It has always been very clear in our mind what it is we are seeking to achieve, that is to reconcile this country and not being prisoners of our past history. To be part of
7663-769: The party's vote further dropping in Dublin and a two candidate strategy in the Midlands North West constituency, which backfired, resulting in sitting MEP Pat "the Cope" Gallagher losing his seat. On 23 June 2014, returning MEP Brian Crowley announced that he intended to sit with the European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR) rather than the ALDE group during the upcoming 8th term of the European parliament. The following day on 24 June 2014 Crowley had
7760-413: The party, which was still in government under a new leader and Taoiseach Brian Cowen , was held responsible for the effects of the post-2008 Irish economic downturn . The party's popularity crashed: an opinion poll on 27 February 2009 indicated that only 10% of voters were satisfied with the Government's performance. In the 2011 general election , it suffered the worst defeat of a sitting government in
7857-465: The party. Mr. McHugh confirmed that although he had joined the party, he would continue to sit as an independent MLA. In June 2010, Fianna Fáil opened its first official office in Northern Ireland, in Crossmaglen, County Armagh. The then Taoiseach Brian Cowen officially opened the office, accompanied by Ministers Éamon Ó Cuív and Dermot Ahern and Deputies Rory O’Hanlon and Margaret Conlon. Discussing
7954-543: The peace process in Northern Ireland, as well the economic upswing caused by the Celtic Tiger which saw Ireland's economy boom during the 2000s. However, this momentum came to a sharp and sudden halt following two events. Firstly, Ahern was forced to resign as Taoiseach and left the party in 2008 following revelations made in the Mahon Tribunal that Ahern had accepted money from property developers. Secondly,
8051-579: The personal conflicts between the memberships, from 1989 onwards Fianna Fáil and the Progressive Democrats served repeatedly in coalition governments together, helping to stabilise Fianna Fáil. In 1994 Fianna Fáil came under the new leadership of Haughey protégé Bertie Ahern , who also became Taoiseach in 1997. Under Ahern, Fianna Fáil was able to claim credit for helping to broker the Good Friday Agreement in 1998 which began
8148-430: The resignation was accepted. On 22 January 2011, just days after winning a vote of confidence, Brian Cowen announced that he was stepping down as leader of Fianna Fáil, but would remain as Taoiseach. On a special RTÉ News programme that day, a number of Fianna Fáil TDs and senators came on the air and publicly backed Martin for the leadership. Later that evening, Martin formally announced his intention to seek support for
8245-557: The same time period, the emergence of the Troubles and the Arms Crisis of 1971 tested the party's nationalism, but despite these events, Fianna Fáil maintained their moderate culturally nationalist stance. In 1983, R. Ken Carty wrote of Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael that they were "heterogeneous in their bases of support, relatively undifferentiated in terms of policy or programme, and remarkably stable in their support levels". In
8342-537: The smoking ban by the European Respiratory Society in Glasgow . He introduced an overhaul of the health system, which included the abolition of the health boards and the establishment of the Health Service Executive (HSE) . He deregulated the country's pharmacies on 31 January 2002. In October 2003, Martin promised to examine cases of symphysiotomy in Irish hospitals which occurred during
8439-422: The state", but that there was "deep ambiguity concerning what type of party Fianna Fáil really is". In the modern era, Fianna Fáil is seen as a typical catch-all party and has defined itself as such. It has presented itself as a " broad church " and attracted support from across disparate social classes . In the 1980s, Brian Lenihan Snr declared "there are no isms or [ide]ologies in my party"; further, in
8536-459: The victory of Fianna Fáil at the 1997 election , Taoiseach Bertie Ahern appointed Martin to the Cabinet as Minister for Education and Science . In 2000, Martin was appointed Minister for Health and Children . In 2004, during his time as Health Minister, Martin was notable for introducing a ban on tobacco smoking in all Irish workplaces, making Ireland the first country in the world to introduce
8633-422: The worst defeat of a sitting government in the history of the Irish state. The party saw its first-preference vote more than halved. Without significant transfers, the count quickly turned into a rout. Ultimately, Fianna Fáil lost 57 seats, representing a decline of 75%–the worst electoral performance in its 85-year history. The party was knocked down to only 20 seats for third place–the first time in 79 years that it
8730-637: Was announced that a former Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) councillor, Colonel Harvey Bicker , had joined Fianna Fáil. Bertie Ahern announced on 7 December 2007 that Fianna Fáil had been registered in Northern Ireland by the UK Electoral Commission . The party's Ard Fheis in 2009 unanimously passed a motion to organise in Northern Ireland by establishing forums, rather than cumainn, in each of its six counties. In December 2009, Fianna Fáil secured its first Northern Ireland Assembly MLA when Gerry McHugh , an independent MLA, announced he had joined
8827-433: Was appointed Taoiseach on 27 June 2020, leading a grand coalition with longtime rival party Fine Gael , marking the first time these two parties had governed together, along with the Green Party . Under the terms of the coalition agreement, Martin served as Taoiseach for the first half of the five-year term , with his predecessor Leo Varadkar as Tánaiste. Martin then resigned as Taoiseach on 17 December 2022 to facilitate
8924-516: Was critical of the blockade of Gaza , particularly after being denied access to the area in 2009. He wrote to Spain (incoming holder of the presidency of the Council of the EU ) to suggest that the EU send a delegation of foreign ministers to the area in 2010. He made his first visit there himself on 25 February 2010, on a one-day humanitarian mission through the Egyptian border. In doing so, Martin became
9021-614: Was during his time at university that Martin became involved in politics. He was a prominent member of the UCC Cumann of Ógra Fianna Fáil , the youth wing of the party, before serving as national chairman of Ógra. After graduating with a BA degree, Martin completed an MA in political history. Subsequently, he completed a higher diploma in education, and began a career as a history teacher in Presentation Brothers College . In 2009, he published his MA thesis as
9118-555: Was exacerbated on the declining of the nomination by Byrne and the withdrawal from the process by Crowley. In an opinion poll in September 2011, Fianna Fáil's popularity fell to 10%, several points lower than its performance in the February 2011 election. In 2016, he criticised Fine Gael for plans to cut personal taxation in Ireland to levels seen in the United States. At the 2016 general election , Martin led Fianna Fáil to
9215-557: Was not the largest party in the Dáil. While Martin and other Fianna Fáil leaders concluded early on that they would not be re-elected to another term in government, they were surprised by the severity of the defeat; they had hoped to hold onto at least 30 seats. In the wake of what has been described as "defeat on a historic scale", Martin pledged to renew the party "at every level". During the Seanad elections, Martin recommended support for 10 candidates, in an attempt to bring new blood into
9312-437: Was the largest party in Dáil Éireann , but latterly with a decline in its vote share; from 1989 onwards, its periods of government were in coalition with parties of either the left or the right. Fianna Fáil's vote collapsed in the 2011 general election ; it emerged in third place, in what was widely seen as a political realignment in the wake of the post-2008 Irish economic downturn . By 2016, it had recovered enough to become
9409-420: Was the next Fianna Fáil candidate in the north elections, which the party then did not support. In November 2018, Varadkar and Martin argued over carbon tax increases led to the Dáil almost being adjourned for the day. Martin was given the decision in December 2018 on whether to enter into talks to renegotiate the confidence-and-supply deal. In December 2018, Martin ruled out a 2019 general election, agreeing to
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