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TÁNAISTE MICHEÁL MARTIN has said his “focus is on becoming Taoiseach” in response to questioning on whether he is considering an Áras bid.
There has been speculation in recent weeks that Martin may run for President and he was asked today about any potential presidential aspirations.
The election to succeed President Michael D Higgins is expected in October 2025.
However, a General Election will take place by March 2025 at the latest.
“What’s in my plans is a run in the next general election and for our party to win as many seats as possible,” said Martin to reporters when asked if he was considering a run at Áras an Uachtaráin.
Martin was speaking to reporters while on a visit to Ethiopia.
“I would like to be Taoiseach again,” said Martin, “and I think that’s a legitimate aspiration, that’s my focus.”
He added that “every party leader in the government is entitled to that aspiration”.
Martin then spoke about his belief in the “economic model we have in Ireland” and remarked that Ireland has a “pro enterprise agenda”.
He added that it is important to “continue the momentum on housing” and to ensure that over the next four to five years “we can bring about substantial improvements”.
He also pointed to a need to “continue to develop our health service and look at special needs education and special needs health to get a complete, comprehensive solution to many of the issues that parents and children are facing”.
Martin rounded this out by returning to the question of a potential run for President and remarked: “What I am trying to say is, my agenda is very proactive, strong and I’m committed to the country and to resolving these challenges, that’s my motivation.
“My focus is on becoming Taoiseach. ‘What are you doing next?’ I’ll tell you what I’m doing next, and if I become Taoiseach, I think that answers your question.”
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This man cannot lie straight in bed. Cannot and will not answer a question straight up. No wonder I suppose when you see who’s gone before him. Tutored well by Ahern.
@Andrew Kenny: Exactly andrew, when he gets out of bed in the morning and looks in the mirror, bertie is staring back.
@Paul Gorry: I thought that lad from Road House was going to be our next president, Jake Gyllenhaal?
@Paul Gorry: A practiced and polished liar!
Was a ff supporter for many years until I saw how corrupt they were. This man is up there with the worst of them. Remember the money resting in his wife’s account?
@James Groden: that developers money was accidentally lodged into the private bank account of Micheal’s wife. It happens everyone, I can’t go a few days without money being accidentaly lodged into my bank account.
@Michael o connor: Brilliant!
@James Groden: tell us more please, we need more detail
it doesn’t matter who gets voted in, all politicians in this country are full off crbb, but we as a nation accept it. we are supposed to be one of the wealthiest countries in Europe but i dont see it, i work 40 hours a week my girlfriend works 40 hours a week just to keep a rented house over our heads. when will the ordinary, normal people get a chance
@Nikki Swift: I work 40hrs a week,single father,bought my own house,nearly 6 years ago,middle earner,alot I can give out about but I live in a top 20 country in the world,not bad for a tiny 2/3′s free island on the edge of Europe.
@Daniel Roche: fair play to you daniel
niel Roche: Fair play to ya Danny but that tiny free island on the edge of Europe is fast becoming free for all in the last 6 years. I fear for its demographic in the next 20 even if we put the brakes on now.
@Nikki Swift: that is exactly it, when a couple such as yourselves are working flat out just to keep you’re heads above water its wrong. We now how a new problem unfolding in the country that is that the birth rate is dropping dramatically because couples can’t afford to have children. This is very serious as countries such as Japan and Italy are panicking and offering incentives and its still not working. Our clowns here have made such a mess that people’s only hope is to emigrate or work every hour sent and achieve little. What an absolute disgrace it’s worsening in homelessness and hospital overcrowding and ignored to the last. All talk and no action we bend over backwards to accommodate everyone outside of eu entering and ignore whats within it I cannot understand it.
@Michael Andrews: Why on earth would you fear for Ireland’s demographic? That sounds like something you read on a National Front website? It is also the sort of thing that Hitler said in the 1930s. In order for Ireland to continue growing, we need a larger workforce and there’s only 2 ways to do that. 1. Force Irosh women to have more than an average of 2.2 children by turning our country into a form of Hansmaids Tale type of autocracy or 2. Allow large scale immigration to boost the income of our economy. Other than the obvious downside of no. 1, it will take 20 to 30 years to have a meaningful impact. There is also the additional cost of education, health & welfare that the state has to cover on top of the €250,000 that it costs the parents. Option 2 allows the importation of skilled and unskilled workers without any of the costs associated with childhood. They are also more likely to increase the average birthrate as they come from countries that still have high birthrates. Yes there is a cost associated with integrating asylum seekers, but this is only one type of migrant and whilst it gets all the headlines and attention from the thugs (who probably don’t pay any taxes anyway)
@Paul Ennis: Waaaayyyyy too complicated Paul, the truth normally is.
Give me something I can read in 5 seconds.
Foreigners baaaaaad.
@Paul Ennis: These guys who are coming plan to work, do they? Pull the other one, Paul. Also, the only people who “need” mass immigration in order for continued “growth” are the same people/corporations that hold all the power at the moment.
@Daniel Killeen: CSO data is clear, non nationals are more likely to work than “our own”
@Daniel Killeen: Yes, the vast majority of migrants plan to work. They want to make a better life for themselves. And they do make a positive contribution to the economy and, if they’re allowed to, to society.
It was ever so. It’s no coincidence that the world’s most powerful country is an immigrant nation.
@Brendan O’Brien: desirable skills based only, their whims or desires should have no basis on being allowed entry. Australia has a great model to follow
@Michael Andrews: Why be fearful for its demographid?
@Pat Hazzard: Put up a link from CSO to prove that claim.
@SV3tN8M4: ‘There were 420,465 non-Irish citizens aged 15 years and over in the labour force (i.e. employed or unemployed) in April 2022, an increase of 21% since 2016. Labour force participation among non-Irish citizens was higher than for Irish citizens.’
Only quiet recently on local radio down here in Cork during a discussion about Simon Coveneys departure from politics the presenter of the show mentioned that Coveney as well Michael McGrath nearly always made themselves available to come on his show when asked and the opposite was the case with Micheál Martin. Cork unfortunately has a history of electing very poor politicians and Martin is without doubt the worst of all, himself first, the party second and that’s about it with this fella.
Will he ever f off.
@Daniel Gilroy: when his ego is fulfilled and his account is satisfactory and hefty lump sum and pension then he’ll dwindle away like the rest of those outright liars and traitors that are slowly destroying this country and people’s lives and futures within it. Absolutely sickening they have not an ounce of shame.
God almighty mehole is all over the journal lately…please please people of Ireland don’t put this plank in the aras.
He is probably the best fianna fail option for president although that’s not saying much. Can’t understand the free pass this man has been given
When a percentage of our population are so frightened of change that the kewp voting for spineless entitled wasters like mehole ,and then cry about the state of politics in ireland ,
Hes a a hole
Awful leader talks out of both side of his mouth. Does what’s best for himself not for his country …….. I remember it wasn’t difficult to get a government out. Now the likes of him think that there’s no appetite for an election…….omg I’d love to go to the cast my vote to get these people retired early
@James Casey: one of the best leaders this country has, which is why he is he repeatedly the most popular party leader in Ireland. Talking of votes, FF came back with the largest number of seats in last months elections.
Thankfully, the 4 Mep’s didn’t listen to you and voted against the nazi Israel state candidate, but you stayed with the FG crowd. The sooner you’re gone, the better from FF. You should just join FG.
The ego has landed…….
when both single people and couples are working flat out just to keep theyre heads above water its wrong. We now how a new problem unfolding in the country that is that the birth rate is dropping dramatically because couples can’t afford to have children. This is very serious as countries such as Japan and Italy are panicking and offering incentives and its still not working. Our clowns here have made such a mess that people’s only hope is to emigrate or work every hour sent and achieve little. What an absolute disgrace it’s worsening in homelessness and hospital overcrowding and ignored to the last. All talk and no action we bend over backwards to accommodate everyone outside of eu entering and ignore whats within it I cannot understand it. Its madness and absolutely reckless mistreatment of the people within the country itself.
Me féin, mé féin. That’s All That matters with this guy.
Offs didn’t he do a great job the first time sure why not give him another go fool us once .. spanner
I rather have Leo as president than this yoke
@John Deane: As much as I don’t like him,his the most popular party leader and was the only party leader in the country to bring in his running mate in the last election.
@John Deane: same circus just different clowns won’t change anything and when our current president said himself that its not a housing crisis we have but a disaster he was more or less quietly told stay quiet.
@John Deane: rather trump in the aras..
It’s a nightmare scenario really after FF brought this country to its knees with leader BA we now have a situation where by it’s the Ghostscript of times past teasing our people to rehash these false effigaes to come to life and create a wasteland of people of greed and no respect.
Falsehood of disrespect for the citizens of Ireland.
Did he actually say that it’s a legitimate aspiration for Roderick O Gornan to want to be Taoiseach or am I hallucinating !!
Maybe his focus should be on running the country and not his next handy number …
@Mike Dowling: which is precisely what he said, his focus is on being Taoiseach again so that our economy is protected, unprecedented housing delivery continues and waiting lists keep reducing year on year.
@Mike Dowling: He should have said that his ‘focus is on becoming Taoiseach’ when asked if he will run for President. Oh wait. He did.
@Pat Hazzard: One of the reasons why Martin wants to become Taoiseach again is because it’s driven him demented that he never got the opportunity due to Covid to meet the president of the United States in the White House and hand over a bowl of shamrock on Saint Patrick’s day and by the way he was beaten into second place in his constituency at the last general election.
Just leave Mickie D up there.
Hopefully MM will be unemployed after the next election with all the rest of them if the people of Ireland pull there heads out the fog and wake up to what’s going on and the absolute state of every rural town in the country and the mass exados of our talented young people and for a million more reasons too numerous to mention
https://www.pressreader.com/ireland/the-irish-mail-on-sunday/20230416/282063396259432
Where is all the housing will someone please explain?
Micheal Martin has been Taoiseach, Tanaiste & in various Ministries for 18 years at Cabinet level & his legacy is that he was one of those that Bankrupted the State, leading us to severe Austerity, Suicides & the loss of our Sovereignty. At present he has led us to record Homelessness, record Hospital waiting lists, a collapsing Health Service with most expensive Hospital build in the World, schools at bursting point, collapsing Public Service, record Rental Costs, record Energy prices & a cost of living crisis with Insurance, Energy, Fuel & Groceries through the roof. He has let RTE corruption be rewarded & now defends the record numbers of Immigrants arriving swamping our housing crisis & services such as GP’s & schools. Now he wants us to reward him by being Taoiseach & Uachtaran, NO !
As a Fianna Fail leader, history will judge him very well
@John Nolan: well the bar is ls pretty low in that party.
Hasn’t this pr. Ick caused enough trouble for Ireland without the arrogance to believe he can be the next Taoiseach let alone president.
Shut up and leave us alone
Limbo dancing akin to this government they have taking the electorate as low as it can go and when the elections are on the horizon they high the bar and so on and so on.
Why do we keep bringing them back.. they bribe the working man with cash amounts and when it’s looking at you it’s hard to ignore, such pythons they are snakes with big mouths.
Imagine having to deconstruct the Aras and reconstructing it in FOTA?
Me hole and his cronies have brought the country to its knees through bankruptcy in the past and now allows it to be invaded by chancers.
Oh dear god why can’t this man just retire already
No one will replace Michael D.
It’s like trying to replace the late Queen Elizabeth.
@William Slevin:
I did ,and I admire him greatly,but in comparison to his mother, there can be no competition.
Just an example.
have your say