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Miche\u00e1l Martin has made clear he has no plans to retire after his stint as Taoiseach and has vowed to lead Fianna F\u00e1il into the next election.<\/p>\nMiche\u00e1l Martin has made clear he has no plans to retire after his stint as Taoiseach and has vowed to lead Fianna F\u00e1il into the next election.<\/p>\n
Mr Martin also ruled out the prospect of a reshuffle of his party\u2019s government ministers in the year ahead.<\/p>\n
The Fianna F\u00e1il leader said he would consider early this year whether to restore the whip to three party senators who had it removed after their attendance at the controversial Oireachtas Golf Society dinner in Galway in August.<\/p>\n
Mr Martin said he was \u201cintrigued\u201d as to why there remained speculation around his position as party leader when his tenure as Taoiseach ends in December 2022.<\/p>\n
Fine Gael leader Leo Varadkar will then assume the role for the remainder of the historic coalition involving his party, Fianna F\u00e1il and the Greens.<\/p>\n
Mr Martin said he had already stated his intention to remain as party leader into the next general election, which is expected in four years\u2019 time.<\/p>\n
\u201cI am intrigued as to how this has developed into a storyline,\u201d Mr Martin responded when asked whether he would still be at the helm come the next poll.<\/p>\n
\u201cYes, I\u2019ve said this before, I am on the record as saying I intend to lead Fianna F\u00e1il into the next election, yes.\u201d<\/p>\n
On the potential of a Cabinet reshuffle this year, Mr Martin said his priority was focusing on Government priorities.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m not contemplating a reshuffle this early in the Dail,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe ministers are doing well in my view.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think Michael McGrath is doing an excellent job in public expenditure.<\/p>\n
\u201cDarragh O\u2019Brien has brought great energy to housing.<\/p>\n
\u201cNorma Foley has been, in my view, very effective in reopening the schools, on that and many other issues.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Taoiseach said Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly had already delivered significant improvements in health service delivery.<\/p>\n
He also credited Minister for Agriculture Charlie McConalogue for leading in efforts to support fishing communities set to be affected by Brexit.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think we\u2019ve a strong ministerial team and they\u2019re performing in respect of their particular portfolios,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n
Mr Martin removed the party whip from senators Paul Daly, Aidan Davitt and Niall Blaney after they attended the Golfgate dinner \u2013 an event staged in apparent variance with strict Covid guidelines on limiting the size of indoor gatherings.<\/p>\n
Asked whether he was prepared to welcome the senators back into the party fold, Mr Martin said it would be considered \u201cearly\u201d in 2021.<\/p>\n