Tag Archives: Michael Martin

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From top: Leinster House first-floor interior; Micheál Martin

The extended summer holiday, the Leinster House refit and the Fianna Fáil leader.

What fresh slippery nonsense is this?

Steve White writes:

In October, Micheál Martin said in the Daíl that:

“The Dáil rose on 21 July and resumed on 27 September. In July, we were all told major works were to be undertaken to physically refurbish the Chamber, but that did not happen. Therefore, it transpired that there was no necessity for the longer than usual summer recess.”

I’ve been trying to find out if this statement is true or not as it’s an extraordinary claim considering the issue that has been made about the amount of work/legislation the Dáil has been able to do so far this term.

I’ve emailed Micheál Martin and Fianna Fail in the past few weeks with no replies.

I also emailed the Oireachtas and this is the reply I got:

Mr White,

As you’re probably aware, there were quite extensive works undertaken in the Dáil chamber during the summer recess (read more here and here). The quote may reference the wider restoration work to be completed in Leinster House but this would not have impacted on Dáil sitting dates. Perhaps Micheál Martin’s office may be able to clarify the quote, however.

Thanks,
Best regards,
Press Officer
Communications | Broadcasting | Web
Houses of the Oireachtas

I have also received a reply from the Ceann Comhairle’s office, which said the same thing, (LCC Pat Gallagher was actually in the chair at the time).

It similarly says that the works that were meant to take place did take place, but the CC says he will not comment further, even though tens of thousands of people may have been misinformed about Oireachtas business.

The Irish Times, the Irish Mirror, the Independent and the Sunday Times all quoted what Micheál Martin said without clarifying.

There are also the minutes of the Oireachtas Commission meeting on October 4th, 2016 which say:

7. TECHNOLOGY IN THE CHAMBERS PROJECT

The Commission was briefed on the ICT project underway to modernise the technical systems in the Chambers of both Houses and in the Committee Rooms.

The Commission noted that the Technology in the Chambers project is part of a significant programme of ICT investment to build an Enterprise Architecture for the Service and to develop the ICT systems in the Houses to make them more responsive to the needs of users.

The Commission welcomed the project and noted the enhancements to the technical systems in the Dáil Chamber following completion of the necessary work within the agreed timeframe and budget over the summer recess period.

8. ANY OTHER BUSINESS

(i) Refurbishment works to Georgian Leinster House

The Secretary General updated the Commission on the progress on the refurbishment works to Georgian Leinster House. He noted that discussions on the relocation of the Seanad Chamber to the National Museum for the duration of the works were ongoing and had escalated to political level at this point.

I found articles, by Fiach Kelly in the Irish Times in May 2016 here and here, which describe the plans and state that Mr Kelly spoke to Micheál Martin about this.

But did Mr Martin get the distinction between the chamber refit over the summer and wider Leinster House works that are to take much longer confused? Even after they were explained to him?

Mr Martin said himself:

“The clerk did explain about the structural problems with Leinster House, the old part of Leinster House from his perspective, required urgent remedial works, in terms of securing it and so on.”

Anyone?

Micheál Martin Claimed Extra Long Dáil (Steve White, Lost Expectations)

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Yesterday.

In the Dáil.

Sinn Féin leader Gerry Adams, under Standing Order 46 (1), made a personal explanation to the Dáil in relation to the shooting of Brian Stack.

Father-of-three Mr Stack was aged 48 and the chief prison officer in Portlaoise prison when he was shot in the neck on March 25th, 1983, after attending a boxing match in the National Stadium.

He died 18 months after the shooting which left him paralysed and with severe brain damage.

During this address in the Dáil yesterday, Mr Adams said:

“For the record, I will again set out the sequence of events and my efforts to assist the family of Brian Stack. Austin Stack approached me in 2013 seeking acknowledgment for what happened to his father.

I met Austin on a number of occasions over the course of the following months, mostly on my own. Austin and his brother Oliver made it clear to me, personally and said publicly, that they were not looking for people to go to jail. They wanted acknowledgement and they wanted closure.

There is a note of that initial meeting, and I am releasing that today.

The computer stamp shows that this note was typed into the computer on 16 May, seven days after the first meeting with the family. Austin Stack speaks of his commitment to restorative justice processes. I believe him.

I told the Stack brothers that I could help only on the basis of confidentiality. This was the same basis on which I have tried to help other families. Both Austin and Oliver agreed to respect the confidential nature of the process we were going to try to put in place.

Without that commitment, I could never have pursued the meeting they were seeking, which took place later that summer.

The brothers were given a statement at that meeting by a former IRA leader. That statement was made available publicly by the Stack family. The statement acknowledged that the IRA was responsible for their father’s death, that it regretted it took so long to clarify this for them, that the shooting of Brian Stack was not authorised by the IRA leadership, and that the person who gave the instruction was disciplined.

The statement expressed sorrow for the pain and hurt the Stack family suffered.

Following the meeting, the family acknowledged that the process “has provided us with some answers that three separate Garda investigations failed to deliver. We would like to thank Deputy Adams for the role he has played in facilitating this outcome”.

Since then, the position of Austin Stack has changed.

In 2013, Austin gave me the names of four people whom he believed might have information on the case. He told me that he had been given these names by journalistic and Garda sources.

Austin denies giving me names. Why on earth would I say that I received the names from him if I did not?Continue reading →

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He’s so slippery.

This afternoon

Fianna Fáil leader Michaél Martin and poster of same (top left) pursued by a TV3 news crew outside Leinster House, Kildare Street, Dublin 2.

Fianna Fail bid to seize power from Fine Gael (Sunday Business Post)

Meanwhile…

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This afternoon

From top: Newly elected Sinn Féin TD for Carlow/Kilkenny Kathleen Funchion and newly elected Dublin Bay North Sinn Féin TD, Denise Mitchell.

They’re old enough to remember the St Andrew’s Agreement.

Leah Farrell/Rollingnews

Meanwhile…

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Independent Alliance members Sean Canney, Finian McGrath TD, Shane Ross TD John Halligan TD andv Kevin ‘Boxer’ Moran after meeting with Taoiseach Enda Kenny regarding the formation of a coalition.

Leah Farrell/Rollingnews

90377990Micheál Martin and Kitty Lee at the Fianna Fail Ard Fheis in the RDS, Ballsbridge, Dublin 4 on Saturday.

A motion opposing any repeal of the Eighth Amendment [the 1983 constitutional ban on abortion] was carried at the Fianna Fáil Ard Fheis at the weekend.

Deputy Chairperson of the Pro Life Campaign Cora Sherlock sez:

“Since its passing in 1983, the Eighth Amendment of the Constitution (Article 40.3.3) has meant that Irish women receive all necessary medical treatment during pregnancy and at the same time has ensured that the unborn child’s right to life is protected. The reality is that tens of thousands of people are alive today thanks to the Eighth Amendment.
Despite the abortion legislation introduced by Fine Gael in 2013 which permits abortion throughout the full nine months of pregnancy in the case of threatened suicide with no medical evidence to back it up, the Constitutional protection contained in the Eighth Amendment must be robustly defended.
It is imperative that Fianna Fáil now builds on this commitment and works toward the repeal of the unjust abortion legislation introduced by Enda Kenny in 2013.”

Gulp.

Overwhelming Support For Fianna Fail Motion Supporting The Retention Of The Eight Amendment (Pro-Life)

Previously: The Eight Amendment on Broadsheet

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[Ireland South MEP Brian Crowley with Fianna Fail leader Michael Martin at this year’s FF Ard Fheis]

Fianna Fáil’s Cheif Whip Seán Ó Fearghaíl has said his party is “reeling and indeed bewildered” by Brian Crowley’s decision to leave the liberal group in the European Parliament and join the grouping that includes British Conservatives and parties described as far right .
Mr Ó Fearghaíl told RTÉ’s Morning Ireland the parliamentary party will consider this “extraordinary development” and it will decide how to deal with Mr Crowley’s decision.
Mr Crowley was elected as a Fianna Fáil MEP running under the ALDE banner six weeks ago and he has now made a “unilateral” decision to transfer to a grouping in Europe with which Fianna Fáil has “absolutely nothing in common”, Mr Ó Fearghaíl said.

Fianna Fáil ‘reeling’ and ‘bewildered’ over Crowley’s move (RTE)

(Laura Hutton/Photocall Ireland)

From a statement tonight by Fianna Fail leader Michael Martin via Politico.ie:

Although the central allegation against Bertie Ahern was not sustained, the evidence confirmed by the Tribunal and its comments relating to him are extremely serious.  The receipt by a senior office holder of large amounts of money which a sworn Tribunal has held is of unclear origins and the failure to give any credible explanation requires an unequivocal response.  No matter how high a member rises within the party and in elected office, they still carry a duty of trust for the members of Fianna Fáil and for the people who elected them.

The report records that Bertie Ahern gave a significant amount of evidence to the Tribunal which, in the opinion of the Tribunal, was untrue. 

It is a matter of profound personal and professional regret to see confirmed in this Report the extent to which Bertie Ahern fell short of the standard of personal behaviour which is expected of the holders of high office. In the manner in which he received this money while holding high office and in the giving of rejected evidence to a sworn tribunal Bertie Ahern betrayed the trust placed in him by this country and this party.

I, together with the party’s officers with whom I have met and consulted, believe the conduct of Bertie Ahern as outlined in the evidence made public through the Tribunal and the findings of the Tribunal constitute conduct unbecoming a member of Fianna Fáil.  Accordingly, I will propose a motion to expel him as a member of Fianna Fáil at the special meeting of National Executive.  We are writing to Mr Ahern to inform him of this decision.

Cold.

(Leon Farrell/Photocall Ireland)

“When the final report of the Mahon Tribunal is published, we will act without fear or favour against anyone who is shown to have abused their position in Fianna Fail or in elected office. Action will be swift and comprehensive,”

Micheál Martin, Fianna Fail Ard Fheis, March 2, 2012

Micheál Martin On Ireland AM, February 11, 2011

Sinead Desmond (presenter): “You’re representing a new Fianna Fail, but then I was thinking about two things from your past.  One of them being a – totally legitimate – donation by [Cork property developer] Owen O’Callaghan that found its way into your wife’s Dublin bank account. That seemed strange to me and had a sniff of the old Fianna Fail. And the second thing, in the Mahon Tribunal you were asked if you ever brought Owen O’Callaghan to meet Bertie Ahern and you said no that you would have remembered if such a thing happened. And then you were shown Mr Ahern’s ministerial diary which seemed to recollect a meeting between yourself, Bertie Ahern and Owen O’Callaghan but you said you couldn’t recall it. I’ll give you a chance to explain but both of those incidents smell of the old Fianna Fail that put ourselves in the position we find ourselves in.”

Micheál Martin: “I think that’s very unfair because I gave a very comprehensive account to the Tribunal on this…You’ve picked out two things…I gave a very comprehensive account and documentary evidence to the effect in terms of that donation that the money was spent on the party’s electoral operation in that local election. We showed the receipts – we didn’t have the full receipts, but we showed the receipts also the money left very quickly in the month around the General Election itself so every political party got donations at that time and they didn’t have to declare them.

Desmond: “But it ended up in your wife’s bank account?”

Martin: “My wife and I worked together in terms of the politics at the time. There’s nothing strange about that. We both lived in Dublin for that period and so there was nothing in that. When I say I lived in Dublin I was up here during the week in the Dail. Mary worked in Dublin for that year so there’s nothing wrong with that at all and no one has ever suggested any impropriety or any wrongdoing in terms of that.”

Desmond: “Neither was I.”

Martin: “Yeah (laughs) but when it’s taken out like that in full isolation like that it creates an innuendo and it creates an issue when there was none and in fact all I was ever was asked and every TD was asked at the time was for a list of donations that they received from that gentleman (O’Callaghan). And I gave them full comprehensive information with receipts which I even didn’t have to have at the time but I did and presented what I had at that time and there’s never been a suggestion by anyone that there anything wrong or any impropriety in relation to that”

Desmond: “What about the meeting mentioned in The Mahon Tribunal.”

Martin: “I never had a meeting with Bertie and Owen O’Callaghan.”

Desmond: “It’s all there recorded in his diary.”

Martin: “But it wasn’t you see even the tribunal itself didn’t seem to be going into (pause) I don’t want to be going into this because it’s based on the report (pause) didn’t seem to be too clear about it (pause) never any indication in advance that that was going to be raised (pause) I certainly didn’t…(trails off)”

(Photocall Ireland)