Martin says he will lead Fianna Fáil into next election

Updated / Friday, 13 Nov 2026 10:22

The Taoiseach Micheál Martin has confirmed he will contest the next General Election and insisted he will lead Fianna Fáil into the campaign.

The Cork South Cental TD was speaking as he arrived for the second day of major international discussions at Dublin's Convention Centre with an informal meeting of EU leaders, following yesterday's European Political Community gathering.

Mr Martin piqued interest within his parliamentary party when asked of his political future on RTÉ's Morning Ireland programme yesterday.

He said he would "fulfil his mandate as Taoiseach", but initially demurred from giving a commitment to lead Fianna Fáil into the next General Election.

That gave rise to suggestions in Leinster House that his tenure at the helm of Fianna Fáil may end around the time his party must accede the Taoiseach's office to Fine Gael as part of the Coalition Government's arrangement.

However, Mr Martin, first elected to the Dáil in 1989, scotched such an idea when asked on his way into today's summit.

"That's rubbish," he said, "I will be contesting the next General Election and I will be leading Fianna Fáil into the next General Election."

Speaking yesterday, Mr Martin indicated "people would be assuming wrong" if yesterday marked his final meeting of the European Political Community as leader.

"I'm going to fulfil my mandate as Taoiseach. I'm focused on the issues - Europe and the world is in a very difficult space. Ireland is navigating this turmoil, this global instability as resiliently as we possibly can and that's where the focus has to be. And domestically, we have big issues such as housing, disability and in terms of the infrastructure needs of the country," he said.

"I will be leading Fianna Fáil in the coming years and so on," he added.

When asked if he was expecting a challenge to his leadership, Mr Martin retorted: "No I'm not, not at all. We've a good atmosphere within the parliamentary party at the moment."

Mr Martin's leadership of Fianna Fáil endured significant turbulence last year in the wake of Jim Gavin's ill-fated candidature for the presidential election with further angst again following April's fuel protests.

However, he now appears to hold a firm grip on his position as Fianna Fáil leader - with a General Election due in 2029 at the latest.

The Corkman is one of the longest-serving TDs in the 34th Dáil with just his party colleague Willie O'Dea (1982) and Independent Tipperary North TD Michael Lowry (1987) beating him for longevity.

Fianna Fáil's Pat 'the Cope' Gallagher was first elected to the Dáil in 1981 but has spent periods outside the Houses of the Oireachtas.