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Irish Times
23-07-2025
- Politics
- Irish Times
Micheál Martin ‘definietly not' running for presidency, he says
Taoiseach Micheál Martin has said he is 'definitely not' going to run as a candidate for presidency. Speaking on RTÉ's Morning Ireland, Mr Martin said Fianna Fáil will consider a candidate in the coming weeks after taking 'soundings' from people within the parliamentary party. When asked if he had spoken with Deirdre Heenan, a Derry-based Ulster University professor who has been mentioned in some circles to be the party's candidate, Mr Martin said he had not. 'A lot of names have been floated in association with Fianna Fáil. I'm not responsible for the flotation of any of those names, just to make that very clear. I was elected, you know, I went to the people to say I wanted to serve Cork South Central and I wanted to lead Fianna Fáil into government. 'I made that obligation to the public and that's the context. No disrespect to the presidency or anything, but I gave commitments to the people that I would serve in Dáil Éireann for the next five years and that is what I'm going to do.' At the weekend former Fianna Fáil minister Mary Hanafin, who has expressed an interest in running herself, said it would be 'an insult' to the office of the presidency if her party does not run a candidate . The first declared candidates – former European Commissioner and Fine Gael MEP Mairead McGuinness and Independent TD Catherine Connolly – emerged last week in the battle to succeed President Michael D Higgins. Independent Ireland is open to talking to former chief medical officer (CMO) Tony Holohan and Irish dancing star Michael Flatley , should they seek nominations from Oireachtas members to enter the race, party leader Michael Collins has said.
BreakingNews.ie
23-07-2025
- Business
- BreakingNews.ie
Taoiseach Micheál Martin says he will 'definitely not' run for presidency
Taoiseach Micheál Martin has emphatically said that he is 'definitely not' going to run as a candidate for the presidency. Speaking on RTÉ radio's Morning Ireland, Mr Martin said that Fianna Fáil will consider a candidate in the coming weeks after taking 'soundings' from people within the parliamentary party. Advertisement When asked if he had spoken with Deirdre Heenan, Mr Martin said he had not. 'A lot of names have been floated in association with Fianna Fáil. I'm not responsible for the flotation of any of those names, just to make that very clear. I was elected, you know, I went to the people to say I wanted to serve Cork South Central and I wanted to lead Fianna Fáil into government. "I made that obligation to the public, and that's the context. No disrespect to the presidency or anything, but I gave commitments to the people that I would serve in Dáil Éireann for the next five years, and that is what I'm going to do." The Taoiseach also spoke about the National Development Plan, outlining the various funding sources, including projected surpluses, receipts from Apple, and funds from the Climate and Nature Fund. Advertisement "We are projecting surpluses out over the next number of years. There is the additionality of €20 billion from, as you know, the receipts from Apple, about €14 billion, all of them, will go towards the NDP, about €3 billion in terms of the AIB shares sales and a further close to €3 billion from the Climate and Nature Fund," he said. Mr Martin also emphasised the importance of infrastructure investment for job creation and economic growth, noting that the government will consider various scenarios, including IMF forecasts. 'Investment in infrastructure is important and critical for the future of jobs in this country. And we will look at all scenarios. Even the IMF is predicting, by the way, that we, in and around, and suggesting that we this capacity over the next five years in its forecast in terms of total expenditure spent by the Irish government in its analysis. 'Transport alone is receiving very substantial billions, well over €22 billion plus. So public transport will be a key feature of that. The bigger issue, which will be more private sector-driven, will be offshore wind and the development of renewables in our country. I think that's the big ticket item in respect of emissions reductions and switching from a dependence on imported fossil fuels to our own generated renewables. Advertisement "There is no way you would get to 300,000 if you don't have the private Sector contributing a significant number of houses in addition to those that will be provided as a result of the national development plan." Mr Martin added that by 2030, there will be substantially more houses built, 'there'll be far more schools built. I mean, in the last NDP, 800 schools were built. Okay, people give this impression that very little was done with the last NDP, a hell of a lot was done through the last NDP. A whole lot of hospitals were built. 'Active travel, as I said, broadband, for example, has made great strides in terms of that capital plan and the last NDP didn't. Technological University of Grangegorman was also about it; 170 kilometres of road were built, so a lot got done. So a lot of those projects, more and more of those will get done in the next time. 'Take Iarnród Éireann did extraordinarily good work under the last National Development Plan. The transformation of Kent Station, for example, is a good example of that. A lot of the universities, there will be good research projects invested and completed across the university sector," the Taoiseach said. Advertisement "I think this development plan, for example, if you add it all up, and the Minister will give greater detail over the next number of weeks, will be a very significant one for research for universities. And that will add to the competitiveness of our economy, and that's important.'
Irish Independent
18-07-2025
- Sport
- Irish Independent
Taoiseach Micheál Martin hails ‘magical' year for hurling as Cork and Tipp face Croke Park showdown
His comments came as gardaí urged people to drive with care over the weekend as over 120,000 people are expected to travel to Dublin for the match - almost 40,000 of whom have no tickets for Croke Park. Gardaí urged people to allow sufficient time for travel - as virtually all bus and rail services from Cork and Tipperary to Dublin are booked out. Dublin hotels are similarly almost at capacity. Traffic concerns have focused on the fact the vast majority of Cork and Tipperary fans intend to travel to Croke Park on Sunday morning - and virtually all will share the same route into Dublin. Mr Martin acknowledged that Cork has enjoyed enormous support as the Rebel County seeks to end its 20 year All Ireland hurling drought. Over 60,000 Cork fans travelled to Dublin two weeks ago for the semi-final clash with Dublin - with Croke Park having an 82,300 capacity. "I don't wish to predict in advance or put any pressure on our team (Cork)," the Cork South Central TD said. "I think it has been a wonderful year of hurling so far. It has been joyful to witness the extraordinary Cork crowds who have attended every game. "I think Cork have proven themselves in terms of resilience - it was a heartbreaking year last year." Mr Martin is a lifelong Gaelic games fan and plans to attend the hurling final on Sunday, having attended virtually all Cork matches this season. ADVERTISEMENT "It was a wonderful year but they just came up short at the end (2024)," he said. "I hope for the players they will want to do it for themselves. They put huge effort in - to be an inter-county player today requires incredible sacrifice from themselves, their families and their partners. "Again, particularly the players we all know - the household names - who in my view deserve to have an All Ireland medal. We wish the very best for them." Cork is not only bidding to win their first All Ireland since 2005 but is determined to win a Celtic Cross medal for legendary forward, Pat Horgan, considered by many to be the greatest hurler of the modern era not to have won an All Ireland. "It is wonderful to see the young people and children dream again - we all remember from our own young days the iconic images of a particular captain lifting a cup," the Taoiseach added. "What it brings to a city and county - I have no doubt that Sunday will enable many more young people to dream that someday they will be in Croke Park in an All Ireland final. That is the magic of it.
