Micheál Martin
Encyclopedia
Micheál Martin is an Irish politician who has been leader of Fianna Fáil
since January 2011. He is a Teachta Dála
(TD) for the Cork South Central
constituency. Prior to becoming party leader, Martin served as Minister for Education and Science (1997–2000), Minister for Health and Children (2000–04), Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment (2004–08) and Minister for Foreign Affairs
(2008–11).
As Minister for Health and Children in 2004, he introduced a ban on tobacco smoking
in all Irish workplaces and established the Health Service Executive (HSE). Ireland was the world's first country to introduce a full workplace smoking ban. As Minister for Foreign Affairs in 2009, Martin travelled to Latin America for the first time, and made the first official visit to Cuba
by an Irish government minister. That same year, he travelled to Khartoum
following the kidnapping of Sharon Commins and Hilda Kawuki. In 2010, he became the first Western foreign minister to visit Gaza
since Hamas
took control there in 2007. On 18 January 2011, Brian Cowen
accepted his resignation as Foreign Minister. On 26 January 2011, Fianna Fáil announced that Micheál Martin had been elected as the eighth leader of the party, following Brian Cowen's resignation as party leader on 22 January 2011. In the 2011 general election, Martin led the party to its worst showing in its' 85 year history with a loss of 57 seats and a drop in its' share of the popular vote to 17.4%.
area of Cork, Martin was the son of Paddy Martin, a former Irish international boxer and CIÉ
employee, and Eileen "Lana" Corbett. The third child in a family of five, Martin's eldest brother Seán and his twin brother Pádraig subsequently became involved in local politics in Cork. His two younger sisters, Eileen and Máiréad, have remained apolitical. Martin attended Coláiste Chríost Rí before studying arts at University College Cork.
It was during his time at university that Martin became involved in politics. He was a prominent member of the cumann of Ógra Fianna Fáil
, the youth wing of the party before later serving as national chairman of Ógra. After graduating with a BA
degree, Martin later completed his MA
in political history. Martin subsequently completed a higher diploma
in education and began a career as a history teacher in Presentation Brothers College.
In 2009, he published his masters thesis as a book: Freedom to Choose: Cork and Party Politics in Ireland 1918-1932.
, however, he polled the fewest first preference votes out of the four and failed to be elected. He became a member of the Fianna Fáil national executive in 1988.
In 1989, Taoiseach
Charles Haughey
called a snap election
and Martin was once again added to the Fianna Fáil ticket in Cork South Central. On that occasion, he secured the most first preference votes out of any Fianna Fáil candidate and secured election to Dáil Éireann
. He has been re-elected at each subsequent election.
In his first few years as a TD, he served on a number of Oireachtas
committees, including those dealing with Irish language, crime and finance. Martin served as Lord Mayor of Cork
in 1992. Two years later in December 1994, Bertie Ahern
was elected as the new leader of Fianna Fáil as the party lost power and went into opposition in the Dáil. Martin, however, joined Ahern's new front bench
at the start of 1995 as spokesperson on Education and the Gaeltacht
.
, Martin was appointed to the newly-expanded position of Minister for Education and Science. At 36, he was the youngest member of Bertie Ahern
's first cabinet. As minister, his tenure was characterised by an increase in spending at all levels of education, while a number of educational initiatives, such as a review of the primary school curriculum and the introduction of special needs assistants, were also initiated.
, described the position as ‘like being in Angola
’, because landmines can go off at any time.
In spite of tough opposition, Martin introduced a ban on tobacco smoking
in all Irish workplaces, including pubs and restaurants. The Minister announced on 30 January 2003 his intention to have the ban in place on 1 January 2004. He visited New York in September 2003 to look at how a similar ban worked there and signed the UN's framework convention on tobacco control at their headquarters. The smoking ban was introduced on 29 March 2004, making Ireland the first country in the world to introduce a blanket ban on smoking in the workplace. Martin was presented with an award by the European Respiratory Society in Glasgow on 4 September 2004 for his work on the smoking ban.
He introduced the first overhaul of the health system in 30 years. It included the abolition of the health boards and establishment of the Health Service Executive
. He deregulated the country's pharmacies from 31 January 2002.
In October 2003, he promised to examine cases of symphysiotomy
in Irish hospitals which occurred during the 1940s and 1950s and offered free health care to those affected.
, to become Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment
. In September 2005, the government's economic record on the cost of living came under scrutiny from the RTÉ
television programme Rip-Off Republic
. This led to Martin abolishing the controversial Groceries Order 1987, a piece of legislation which prohibited the sale of groceries below cost price.
Letters containing death threats and shotgun cartridges, from a group calling itself the Irish Citizens Defence Force, were posted to Martin on 29 February 2008 at a prominent Dublin fertility clinic.
In a cabinet reshuffle in May 2008, following the election of Brian Cowen as Taoiseach, Martin became Minister for Foreign Affairs. One of the first issues that he had to deal with was the referendum on the Treaty of Lisbon. Martin led the Government campaign. Despite the overwhelming majority of Government and Opposition parties being supporting a Yes vote, the electorate rejected the Government's recommendation. Martin and Cowen failed to convince the Irish public to support the ratification of the Treaty of Lisbon
and this protest expressed in the referendum on 12 June 2008 plunged the government into a major political crisis.
In February 2009, he travelled to Latin America for the first time, with stopovers in Mexico and Havana
, the first time an Irish Government Minister had made an official visit to Cuba.
In September 2009, he travelled to Khartoum
to discuss the kidnapping of Sharon Commins and Hilda Kawuki with the Sudan
ese government.
On 7 February 2010, he defended the €4.4 million redevelopment of the Irish embassy in Ottawa
. While in Brussels on 22 February 2010, he questioned Foreign Affairs Minister of Israel
Avigdor Lieberman over the use of fraudulent Irish passports in the assassination of Mahmoud al-Mabhouh
.
On 17 March 2010, he met President of the United States
Barack Obama
in the White House
, alongside Taoiseach Brian Cowen.
On 26 May 2010, he met with senior Chinese leaders in Beijing
to discuss relations between China and Ireland before travelling onward to Shanghai
. While there, he visited the Irish pavilion
at Expo 2010
in the city.
On 28 June 2010, he began a five-day trip to Uganda and Ethiopia where he visited buildings and met ministers and businesspeople.
, particularly since being denied access to the area in 2009. He wrote to Spain (as President of the EU) to suggest that the body send a team of foreign ministers to the area in 2010. He made his first visit there himself on 25 February 2010, on a one-day humanitarian mission through the Egyptian border. In doing so, Martin became the first Western foreign minister to visit Gaza since Hamas took control in 2007. While in Gaza, the Minister toured hospitals and schools. He was accompanied by United Nations
vehicles.
Martin wrote about his experience in the International Herald Tribune
the following week. On 7 April 2010, The Huffington Post
published a response, "Dear Irish Foreign Minister Micheál Martin", from David Harris, executive director of the American Jewish Committee
,
Martin was Minister for Foreign Affairs during the Gaza flotilla raid
and the aftermath of this incident
. He told Dáil Éireann that he had requested that the Israeli government allow the MV Rachel Corrie
to deliver its cargo of aid to Gaza instead of involving itself in "further bloodshed".
. Cowen survived, however, that same month Martin admitted that he and other cabinet members, namedly Brian Lenihan
and Dermot Ahern
, harboured ambitions to lead the party should a vacancy arise. While some backbench rebel Fianna Fáil TD's called for Cowen to go, no cabinet minister publicly came forward to challenge the incumbent. In spite of this, Martin once again expressed an interest in running for the leadership of Fianna Fáil once the vacancy arises in December 2010 on RTÉ
's Saturday View radio programme.
On 16 January 2011, Martin announced that he felt the Fianna Fáil leadership needed to change and that he would vote against Brian Cowen in the upcoming confidence motion in his leadership of the party. He offered to resign as Minister for Foreign Affairs, but his resignation was initially refused by Cowen. Following the result of the motion, which Cowen won, the resignation was accepted.
On 22 January 2011, just days after winning a vote of confidence, Brian Cowen announced that he was stepping down as leader of Fianna Fáil but would remain as Taoiseach. On a special RTÉ News
programme that day, a number of Fianna Fáil TDs came on the air and publicly backed Martin for the leadership. Later that evening, Martin formally announced his intention to seek support for the leadership of Fianna Fáil. He was immediately seen as the front-runner, however, a number of other candidates entered the field to ensure a contest. Finance Minister Brian Lenihan was seen as Martin's biggest rival for the position, however, his position was weakened due to his public declaration of support for Cowen the previous week. Éamon Ó Cuív
and Mary Hanafin
, while both having different support bases within the party, were both seen as outsiders.
On 26 January 2011, the Fianna Fáil parliamentary party met to elect their new leader. Martin was proposed by Dara Calleary
and seconded by Áine Brady
and received 33 first preference votes. It was more than double that of his nearest rival Ó Cuív, however, he was still short of winning the election. After Hanafin and Lenihan had been eliminated from the contest and their surplus votes distributed, Martin emerged with 50 votes and was duly elected the eighth leader of Fianna Fáil. Upon election he pledged to reinvigorate Fianna Fáil from its traditional centre ground roots, believing that Fianna Fáil has never delivered to the Irish people through the labels of left and right.
In August 2011, Martin approached Gay Byrne
as a possible nominee for the Presidential election, but this approached caused controversy within his party, who favoured an internal candidate, Brian Crowley
, which was exacerbated on the declining of the nomination by Byrne and the withdrawal from the process by Crowley.
In an opinion poll in September 2011, Martin's party, Fianna Fáil's popularity fell to 10%, several points lower than their performance in the February 2011 election.
Martin is also party spokesperson on Northern Ireland.
Martin and other Fianna Fáil leaders concluded early on that they would not be reelected to another term in government, and had hoped to hold onto at least 30 seats. In the wake of what has been described as "defeat on a historic scale", Martin pledged to renew the party "at every level".
During the Seanad elections, Martin recommended support for 10 candidates, in an attempt to bring new blood into the parliamentary party. This caused resentment from Fianna Fáil
councillors and incumbent Fianna Fáil
senators. Only five of the recommended 10 were elected, although the party preformed better than expected winning 14 seats.
after suffering from a heart condition. Eleven years earlier a son, Ruairí, died in infancy.
Fianna Fáil
Fianna Fáil – The Republican Party , more commonly known as Fianna Fáil is a centrist political party in the Republic of Ireland, founded on 23 March 1926. Fianna Fáil's name is traditionally translated into English as Soldiers of Destiny, although a more accurate rendition would be Warriors of Fál...
since January 2011. He is a Teachta Dála
Teachta Dála
A Teachta Dála , usually abbreviated as TD in English, is a member of Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Oireachtas . It is the equivalent of terms such as "Member of Parliament" or "deputy" used in other states. The official translation of the term is "Deputy to the Dáil", though a more literal...
(TD) for the Cork South Central
Cork South Central (Dáil Éireann constituency)
Cork South–Central is a parliamentary constituency represented in Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Irish parliament or Oireachtas. The constituency elects 5 deputies...
constituency. Prior to becoming party leader, Martin served as Minister for Education and Science (1997–2000), Minister for Health and Children (2000–04), Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment (2004–08) and Minister for Foreign Affairs
Minister for Foreign Affairs (Ireland)
The Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade is the senior minister at the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade in the Government of Ireland. Its headquarters are at Iveagh House, on St Stephen's Green in Dublin; "Iveagh House" is often used as a metonym for the department as a whole.The current...
(2008–11).
As Minister for Health and Children in 2004, he introduced a ban on tobacco smoking
Smoking ban
Smoking bans are public policies, including criminal laws and occupational safety and health regulations, which prohibit tobacco smoking in workplaces and/or other public spaces...
in all Irish workplaces and established the Health Service Executive (HSE). Ireland was the world's first country to introduce a full workplace smoking ban. As Minister for Foreign Affairs in 2009, Martin travelled to Latin America for the first time, and made the first official visit to Cuba
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
by an Irish government minister. That same year, he travelled to Khartoum
Khartoum
Khartoum is the capital and largest city of Sudan and of Khartoum State. It is located at the confluence of the White Nile flowing north from Lake Victoria, and the Blue Nile flowing west from Ethiopia. The location where the two Niles meet is known as "al-Mogran"...
following the kidnapping of Sharon Commins and Hilda Kawuki. In 2010, he became the first Western foreign minister to visit Gaza
Gaza
Gaza , also referred to as Gaza City, is a Palestinian city in the Gaza Strip, with a population of about 450,000, making it the largest city in the Palestinian territories.Inhabited since at least the 15th century BC,...
since Hamas
Hamas
Hamas is the Palestinian Sunni Islamic or Islamist political party that governs the Gaza Strip. Hamas also has a military wing, the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades...
took control there in 2007. On 18 January 2011, Brian Cowen
Brian Cowen
Brian Cowen is a former Irish politician who served as Taoiseach of Ireland from 7 May 2008 to 9 March 2011. He was head of a coalition government led by Fianna Fáil which until 23 January 2011 had the support of the Green Party and independent TDs.Cowen was also leader of Fianna Fáil from 7 May...
accepted his resignation as Foreign Minister. On 26 January 2011, Fianna Fáil announced that Micheál Martin had been elected as the eighth leader of the party, following Brian Cowen's resignation as party leader on 22 January 2011. In the 2011 general election, Martin led the party to its worst showing in its' 85 year history with a loss of 57 seats and a drop in its' share of the popular vote to 17.4%.
Early life
Born and raised in the Turner's CrossTurners Cross, Cork
Turner's Cross is a ward on the south side of Cork City, and home to the Roman Catholic parish of the same name.Largely residential, one of the key features of the area is the iconic church created by architect Barry Byrne and sculptor John Storrs, the Church of Christ The King. It was...
area of Cork, Martin was the son of Paddy Martin, a former Irish international boxer and CIÉ
CIE
-Organizations:* Cambridge International Examinations, an international examination board* Cleveland Institute of Electronics, a private technical and engineering educational institution — the International Commission on Illumination...
employee, and Eileen "Lana" Corbett. The third child in a family of five, Martin's eldest brother Seán and his twin brother Pádraig subsequently became involved in local politics in Cork. His two younger sisters, Eileen and Máiréad, have remained apolitical. Martin attended Coláiste Chríost Rí before studying arts at University College Cork.
It was during his time at university that Martin became involved in politics. He was a prominent member of the cumann of Ógra Fianna Fáil
Ógra Fianna Fáil
Ógra Fianna Fáil is the youth wing of Fianna Fáil, a political party in Ireland. Within Fianna Fáil it is simply called Ógra . It was founded in 1975 by party leader Jack Lynch under the guidance of party general secretary, Séamus Brennan. In the Republic, it is active in some major Third Level...
, the youth wing of the party before later serving as national chairman of Ógra. After graduating with a BA
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
degree, Martin later completed his MA
Master of Arts (postgraduate)
A Master of Arts from the Latin Magister Artium, is a type of Master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The M.A. is usually contrasted with the M.S. or M.Sc. degrees...
in political history. Martin subsequently completed a higher diploma
Higher diploma
A higher diploma is an academic award in Libya, United Kingdom, Hong Kong, Ireland and Oman. In Libya the award is equivalent to a bachelor's degree in engineering or technology, in Hong Kong it is below the standard of the bachelor's degree, in Ireland it is above the standard of the bachelor's...
in education and began a career as a history teacher in Presentation Brothers College.
In 2009, he published his masters thesis as a book: Freedom to Choose: Cork and Party Politics in Ireland 1918-1932.
Early political career
Martin's time as a teacher was short-lived as he left after just one year to become a full-time politician when he secured election to Cork Corporation as a Fianna Fáil candidate in 1985. It was from this local base that he decided to embark on a career in national politics a little under two years later. Martin was one of four candidates who secured the Fianna Fáil nomination to run in the Cork South Central constituency in the 1987 general electionIrish general election, 1987
The Irish general election of 1987 was held on 17 February 1987, four weeks after the dissolution of the Dáil on 20 January. The newly-elected 166 members of the 25th Dáil assembled at Leinster House on 10 March when a new Taoiseach and government were appointed.The general election took place in...
, however, he polled the fewest first preference votes out of the four and failed to be elected. He became a member of the Fianna Fáil national executive in 1988.
In 1989, Taoiseach
Taoiseach
The Taoiseach is the head of government or prime minister of Ireland. The Taoiseach is appointed by the President upon the nomination of Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Oireachtas , and must, in order to remain in office, retain the support of a majority in the Dáil.The current Taoiseach is...
Charles Haughey
Charles Haughey
Charles James "Charlie" Haughey was Taoiseach of Ireland, serving three terms in office . He was also the fourth leader of Fianna Fáil...
called a snap election
Snap election
A snap election is an election called earlier than expected. Generally it refers to an election in a parliamentary system called when not required , usually to capitalize on a unique electoral opportunity or to decide a pressing issue...
and Martin was once again added to the Fianna Fáil ticket in Cork South Central. On that occasion, he secured the most first preference votes out of any Fianna Fáil candidate and secured election to Dáil Éireann
Dáil Éireann
Dáil Éireann is the lower house, but principal chamber, of the Oireachtas , which also includes the President of Ireland and Seanad Éireann . It is directly elected at least once in every five years under the system of proportional representation by means of the single transferable vote...
. He has been re-elected at each subsequent election.
In his first few years as a TD, he served on a number of Oireachtas
Oireachtas
The Oireachtas , sometimes referred to as Oireachtas Éireann, is the "national parliament" or legislature of Ireland. The Oireachtas consists of:*The President of Ireland*The two Houses of the Oireachtas :**Dáil Éireann...
committees, including those dealing with Irish language, crime and finance. Martin served as Lord Mayor of Cork
Lord Mayor of Cork
The Lord Mayor of Cork is the honorific title of the Chairman of Cork City Council which is the local government body for the city of Cork in Ireland. The incumbent is Terry Shannon of Fianna Fáil. The office holder is elected annually by the members of the Council.-History of office:In 1199 there...
in 1992. Two years later in December 1994, Bertie Ahern
Bertie Ahern
Patrick Bartholomew "Bertie" Ahern is a former Irish politician who served as Taoiseach of Ireland from 26 June 1997 to 7 May 2008....
was elected as the new leader of Fianna Fáil as the party lost power and went into opposition in the Dáil. Martin, however, joined Ahern's new front bench
Opposition Front Bench (Ireland)
Fine Gael is the largest political party in the Oireachtas. The Fine Gael leader appoints a team of TDs and Senators to speak for the party on different issues. Their areas of responsibility broadly correspond to those of Government ministers. -Fine Gael Front Bench:...
at the start of 1995 as spokesperson on Education and the Gaeltacht
Gaeltacht
is the Irish language word meaning an Irish-speaking region. In Ireland, the Gaeltacht, or an Ghaeltacht, refers individually to any, or collectively to all, of the districts where the government recognises that the Irish language is the predominant language, that is, the vernacular spoken at home...
.
Minister for Education and Science (1997–2000)
When Fianna Fáil returned to power following the 1997 general electionIrish general election, 1997
The Irish general election of 1997 was held on Friday, 6 June 1997. The 166 newly elected members of the 28th Dáil assembled on 26 June 1997 when a new Taoiseach and government were appointed....
, Martin was appointed to the newly-expanded position of Minister for Education and Science. At 36, he was the youngest member of Bertie Ahern
Bertie Ahern
Patrick Bartholomew "Bertie" Ahern is a former Irish politician who served as Taoiseach of Ireland from 26 June 1997 to 7 May 2008....
's first cabinet. As minister, his tenure was characterised by an increase in spending at all levels of education, while a number of educational initiatives, such as a review of the primary school curriculum and the introduction of special needs assistants, were also initiated.
Minister for Health and Children (2000–04)
In a cabinet reshuffle in January 2000, Martin was appointed Minister for Health and Children. Martin's predecessor, Brian CowenBrian Cowen
Brian Cowen is a former Irish politician who served as Taoiseach of Ireland from 7 May 2008 to 9 March 2011. He was head of a coalition government led by Fianna Fáil which until 23 January 2011 had the support of the Green Party and independent TDs.Cowen was also leader of Fianna Fáil from 7 May...
, described the position as ‘like being in Angola
Angola
Angola, officially the Republic of Angola , is a country in south-central Africa bordered by Namibia on the south, the Democratic Republic of the Congo on the north, and Zambia on the east; its west coast is on the Atlantic Ocean with Luanda as its capital city...
’, because landmines can go off at any time.
In spite of tough opposition, Martin introduced a ban on tobacco smoking
Smoking ban
Smoking bans are public policies, including criminal laws and occupational safety and health regulations, which prohibit tobacco smoking in workplaces and/or other public spaces...
in all Irish workplaces, including pubs and restaurants. The Minister announced on 30 January 2003 his intention to have the ban in place on 1 January 2004. He visited New York in September 2003 to look at how a similar ban worked there and signed the UN's framework convention on tobacco control at their headquarters. The smoking ban was introduced on 29 March 2004, making Ireland the first country in the world to introduce a blanket ban on smoking in the workplace. Martin was presented with an award by the European Respiratory Society in Glasgow on 4 September 2004 for his work on the smoking ban.
He introduced the first overhaul of the health system in 30 years. It included the abolition of the health boards and establishment of the Health Service Executive
Health Service Executive
The Health Service Executive is responsible for the provision of healthcare providing health and personal social services for everyone living in Ireland, with public funds. The Executive was established by the Health Act, 2004 and came into official operation on January 1, 2005...
. He deregulated the country's pharmacies from 31 January 2002.
In October 2003, he promised to examine cases of symphysiotomy
Symphysiotomy
Symphysiotomy is a surgical procedure in which the cartilage of the pubic symphysis is divided to widen the pelvis allowing childbirth when there is a mechanical problem.- Introduction :...
in Irish hospitals which occurred during the 1940s and 1950s and offered free health care to those affected.
Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment (2004–08)
In September 2004, Martin did a straight swap with Mary HarneyMary Harney
Mary Harney is a former Irish politician. She served as Tánaiste from 1997–2006, Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment from 1997–2004, and as Minister for Health and Children from 2004 to 2011...
, to become Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment
Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment (Ireland)
The Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation is the senior minister at the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation in the Government of Ireland.The current Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation is Richard Bruton, TD...
. In September 2005, the government's economic record on the cost of living came under scrutiny from the RTÉ
RTE
RTÉ is the abbreviation for Raidió Teilifís Éireann, the public broadcasting service of the Republic of Ireland.RTE may also refer to:* Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, 25th Prime Minister of Turkey...
television programme Rip-Off Republic
Rip-Off Republic
Rip-Off Republic was an RTÉ television show highlighting the cost of living and working in Ireland. It was presented by Eddie Hobbs and was broadcast on Mondays at 21:30 on RTÉ One during late August and early September 2005. The series was a phenomenon that attracted the largest TV audience in...
. This led to Martin abolishing the controversial Groceries Order 1987, a piece of legislation which prohibited the sale of groceries below cost price.
Letters containing death threats and shotgun cartridges, from a group calling itself the Irish Citizens Defence Force, were posted to Martin on 29 February 2008 at a prominent Dublin fertility clinic.
Minister for Foreign Affairs (2008–11)
On the resignation of Bertie Ahern in May 2008, Martin supported Brian Cowen.In a cabinet reshuffle in May 2008, following the election of Brian Cowen as Taoiseach, Martin became Minister for Foreign Affairs. One of the first issues that he had to deal with was the referendum on the Treaty of Lisbon. Martin led the Government campaign. Despite the overwhelming majority of Government and Opposition parties being supporting a Yes vote, the electorate rejected the Government's recommendation. Martin and Cowen failed to convince the Irish public to support the ratification of the Treaty of Lisbon
Treaty of Lisbon
The Treaty of Lisbon of 1668 was a peace treaty between Portugal and Spain, concluded at Lisbon on 13 February 1668, through the mediation of England, in which Spain recognized the sovereignty of Portugal's new ruling dynasty, the House of Braganza....
and this protest expressed in the referendum on 12 June 2008 plunged the government into a major political crisis.
In February 2009, he travelled to Latin America for the first time, with stopovers in Mexico and Havana
Havana
Havana is the capital city, province, major port, and leading commercial centre of Cuba. The city proper has a population of 2.1 million inhabitants, and it spans a total of — making it the largest city in the Caribbean region, and the most populous...
, the first time an Irish Government Minister had made an official visit to Cuba.
In September 2009, he travelled to Khartoum
Khartoum
Khartoum is the capital and largest city of Sudan and of Khartoum State. It is located at the confluence of the White Nile flowing north from Lake Victoria, and the Blue Nile flowing west from Ethiopia. The location where the two Niles meet is known as "al-Mogran"...
to discuss the kidnapping of Sharon Commins and Hilda Kawuki with the Sudan
Sudan
Sudan , officially the Republic of the Sudan , is a country in North Africa, sometimes considered part of the Middle East politically. It is bordered by Egypt to the north, the Red Sea to the northeast, Eritrea and Ethiopia to the east, South Sudan to the south, the Central African Republic to the...
ese government.
On 7 February 2010, he defended the €4.4 million redevelopment of the Irish embassy in Ottawa
Ottawa
Ottawa is the capital of Canada, the second largest city in the Province of Ontario, and the fourth largest city in the country. The city is located on the south bank of the Ottawa River in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario...
. While in Brussels on 22 February 2010, he questioned Foreign Affairs Minister of Israel
Foreign Affairs Minister of Israel
The Foreign Affairs Minister of Israel is the political head of the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The position is one of the most important in the Israeli cabinet after Prime Minister and Defense Minister...
Avigdor Lieberman over the use of fraudulent Irish passports in the assassination of Mahmoud al-Mabhouh
Assassination of Mahmoud al-Mabhouh
The assassination of Mahmoud al-Mabhouh, took place on January 19, 2010, in a Dubai hotel room. Al-Mabhouh—a co-founder of the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of the Islamist Palestinian militant group Hamas—was wanted by the Israeli government for the kidnapping and murder of two...
.
On 17 March 2010, he met President of the United States
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
Barack Obama
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
in the White House
White House
The White House is the official residence and principal workplace of the president of the United States. Located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., the house was designed by Irish-born James Hoban, and built between 1792 and 1800 of white-painted Aquia sandstone in the Neoclassical...
, alongside Taoiseach Brian Cowen.
On 26 May 2010, he met with senior Chinese leaders in Beijing
Beijing
Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...
to discuss relations between China and Ireland before travelling onward to Shanghai
Shanghai
Shanghai is the largest city by population in China and the largest city proper in the world. It is one of the four province-level municipalities in the People's Republic of China, with a total population of over 23 million as of 2010...
. While there, he visited the Irish pavilion
Expo 2010 pavilions
This article contains the details of the pavilions in Expo 2010. The 2010 World Expo Shanghai is the largest Expo site ever, covering more than 5.2 square kilometers and containing more than 70 exposition pavilions. More than 190 countries and 50 international organizations registered to...
at Expo 2010
Expo 2010
Expo 2010, officially Expo 2010 Shanghai China was held on both banks of the Huangpu River in the city of Shanghai, China, from May 1 to October 31, 2010. It was a major World Expo in the tradition of international fairs and expositions, the first since 1992...
in the city.
On 28 June 2010, he began a five-day trip to Uganda and Ethiopia where he visited buildings and met ministers and businesspeople.
Criticism of Gaza blockade
As Minister for Foreign Affairs, Martin has been critical of the blockade of GazaGaza
Gaza , also referred to as Gaza City, is a Palestinian city in the Gaza Strip, with a population of about 450,000, making it the largest city in the Palestinian territories.Inhabited since at least the 15th century BC,...
, particularly since being denied access to the area in 2009. He wrote to Spain (as President of the EU) to suggest that the body send a team of foreign ministers to the area in 2010. He made his first visit there himself on 25 February 2010, on a one-day humanitarian mission through the Egyptian border. In doing so, Martin became the first Western foreign minister to visit Gaza since Hamas took control in 2007. While in Gaza, the Minister toured hospitals and schools. He was accompanied by United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
vehicles.
Martin wrote about his experience in the International Herald Tribune
International Herald Tribune
The International Herald Tribune is a widely read English language international newspaper. It combines the resources of its own correspondents with those of The New York Times and is printed at 38 sites throughout the world, for sale in more than 160 countries and territories...
the following week. On 7 April 2010, The Huffington Post
The Huffington Post
The Huffington Post is an American news website and content-aggregating blog founded by Arianna Huffington, Kenneth Lerer, and Jonah Peretti, featuring liberal minded columnists and various news sources. The site offers coverage of politics, theology, media, business, entertainment, living, style,...
published a response, "Dear Irish Foreign Minister Micheál Martin", from David Harris, executive director of the American Jewish Committee
American Jewish Committee
The American Jewish Committee was "founded in 1906 with the aim of rallying all sections of American Jewry to defend the rights of Jews all over the world...
,
Martin was Minister for Foreign Affairs during the Gaza flotilla raid
Gaza flotilla raid
The Gaza flotilla raid was a military operation by Israel against six ships of the "Gaza Freedom Flotilla" on 31 May 2010 in international waters of the Mediterranean Sea...
and the aftermath of this incident
Reactions to the Gaza flotilla raid
Reactions to the Gaza flotilla raid on 31 May 2010 ranged from fierce condemnation to strong support for Israel.Israel expressed regret over loss of life in the Gaza flotilla raid, yet stated that the operation was a "clear case of self defense." The incident also drew attention to the blockade of...
. He told Dáil Éireann that he had requested that the Israeli government allow the MV Rachel Corrie
MV Rachel Corrie
MV Rachel Corrie is a 499 GT coaster owned and operated by the Free Gaza Movement. The ship is named in honour of Rachel Corrie, a former member of the International Solidarity Movement...
to deliver its cargo of aid to Gaza instead of involving itself in "further bloodshed".
Leadership of Fianna Fáil
In September 2010, doubts about Brian Cowen's abilities and political judgement as Taoiseach and party leader emerged following a disastrous early-morning radio interview on Morning IrelandMorning Ireland
Morning Ireland is the breakfast news programme broadcast by RTÉ Radio 1 in Ireland and is noted as that country's most listened to radio programme. It is broadcast each weekday morning between 07.00 and 09.00 and is presented by Aine Lawlor, Cathal Mac Coille, Rachael English and Aoife Kavanagh...
. Cowen survived, however, that same month Martin admitted that he and other cabinet members, namedly Brian Lenihan
Brian Lenihan, Jnr
Brian Joseph Lenihan was an Irish Fianna Fáil politician and barrister who served in the government of Ireland as Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform from 2007 to 2008 and as Minister for Finance from 2008 to 2011...
and Dermot Ahern
Dermot Ahern
Dermot Christopher Ahern is a former Irish Fianna Fáil politician. He was a Teachta Dála for the Louth constituency from 1987 to 2011...
, harboured ambitions to lead the party should a vacancy arise. While some backbench rebel Fianna Fáil TD's called for Cowen to go, no cabinet minister publicly came forward to challenge the incumbent. In spite of this, Martin once again expressed an interest in running for the leadership of Fianna Fáil once the vacancy arises in December 2010 on RTÉ
RTE
RTÉ is the abbreviation for Raidió Teilifís Éireann, the public broadcasting service of the Republic of Ireland.RTE may also refer to:* Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, 25th Prime Minister of Turkey...
's Saturday View radio programme.
On 16 January 2011, Martin announced that he felt the Fianna Fáil leadership needed to change and that he would vote against Brian Cowen in the upcoming confidence motion in his leadership of the party. He offered to resign as Minister for Foreign Affairs, but his resignation was initially refused by Cowen. Following the result of the motion, which Cowen won, the resignation was accepted.
On 22 January 2011, just days after winning a vote of confidence, Brian Cowen announced that he was stepping down as leader of Fianna Fáil but would remain as Taoiseach. On a special RTÉ News
RTÉ News
RTÉ News and Current Affairs , is a major division of Raidió Teilifís Éireann responsible for news programming on television, radio and online within the Republic of Ireland. It is, by far, the largest and most popular news source in Ireland - with 77% of the Irish public regarding it as their main...
programme that day, a number of Fianna Fáil TDs came on the air and publicly backed Martin for the leadership. Later that evening, Martin formally announced his intention to seek support for the leadership of Fianna Fáil. He was immediately seen as the front-runner, however, a number of other candidates entered the field to ensure a contest. Finance Minister Brian Lenihan was seen as Martin's biggest rival for the position, however, his position was weakened due to his public declaration of support for Cowen the previous week. Éamon Ó Cuív
Éamon Ó Cuív
Éamon Ó Cuív is an Irish Fianna Fáil politician. He has been a Teachta Dála for the Galway West constituency since 1992 and was previously a member of Seanad Éireann.-Early life:...
and Mary Hanafin
Mary Hanafin
Mary Hanafin is an Irish Fianna Fáil politician who was a Teachta Dála for Dún Laoghaire from 1997 to 2011. She served as Government Chief Whip , Minister for Education and Science , Minister for Social and Family Affairs , Minister for Tourism, Culture and Sport and Minister for Enterprise,...
, while both having different support bases within the party, were both seen as outsiders.
On 26 January 2011, the Fianna Fáil parliamentary party met to elect their new leader. Martin was proposed by Dara Calleary
Dara Calleary
Dara Calleary is an Irish Fianna Fáil politician. He has been a Teachta Dála for the Mayo constituency since 2007. He served as Minister of State for Labour Affairs and Public Service Transformation from 2009 to 2011....
and seconded by Áine Brady
Áine Brady
Áine Brady is a former Irish Fianna Fáil politician. She was a Teachta Dála for the Kildare North constituency from 2007 to 2011, and also served as a Minister of State....
and received 33 first preference votes. It was more than double that of his nearest rival Ó Cuív, however, he was still short of winning the election. After Hanafin and Lenihan had been eliminated from the contest and their surplus votes distributed, Martin emerged with 50 votes and was duly elected the eighth leader of Fianna Fáil. Upon election he pledged to reinvigorate Fianna Fáil from its traditional centre ground roots, believing that Fianna Fáil has never delivered to the Irish people through the labels of left and right.
In August 2011, Martin approached Gay Byrne
Gay Byrne
Gabriel Mary "Gay" Byrne is a veteran Irish presenter of radio and television. His most notable role was first host of The Late Late Show over a 37-year period spanning 1962 until 1999...
as a possible nominee for the Presidential election, but this approached caused controversy within his party, who favoured an internal candidate, Brian Crowley
Brian Crowley
Brian Crowley is an Irish Fianna Fáil politician and a Member of the European Parliament for the South constituency. He was co-president of the Union for Europe of the Nations group in the European Parliament in which Fianna Fáil sat until it joined the ELDR and, by extension, ALDE...
, which was exacerbated on the declining of the nomination by Byrne and the withdrawal from the process by Crowley.
In an opinion poll in September 2011, Martin's party, Fianna Fáil's popularity fell to 10%, several points lower than their performance in the February 2011 election.
Martin is also party spokesperson on Northern Ireland.
General Election 2011
Martin led the party into the 2011 general election, which saw Fianna Fáil swept from power in the worst defeat of a sitting government in the history of the Irish state. The party saw its first-preference vote more than halved, and lost 57 seats, representing a decline of 75%, being the worst electoral performance in its 85-year history.Martin and other Fianna Fáil leaders concluded early on that they would not be reelected to another term in government, and had hoped to hold onto at least 30 seats. In the wake of what has been described as "defeat on a historic scale", Martin pledged to renew the party "at every level".
During the Seanad elections, Martin recommended support for 10 candidates, in an attempt to bring new blood into the parliamentary party. This caused resentment from Fianna Fáil
Fianna Fáil
Fianna Fáil – The Republican Party , more commonly known as Fianna Fáil is a centrist political party in the Republic of Ireland, founded on 23 March 1926. Fianna Fáil's name is traditionally translated into English as Soldiers of Destiny, although a more accurate rendition would be Warriors of Fál...
councillors and incumbent Fianna Fáil
Fianna Fáil
Fianna Fáil – The Republican Party , more commonly known as Fianna Fáil is a centrist political party in the Republic of Ireland, founded on 23 March 1926. Fianna Fáil's name is traditionally translated into English as Soldiers of Destiny, although a more accurate rendition would be Warriors of Fál...
senators. Only five of the recommended 10 were elected, although the party preformed better than expected winning 14 seats.
Personal life
Martin is married to Mary O'Shea, whom he met at university, and together the couple have had five children. In October 2010, Martin's youngest daughter, Léana, died in Great Ormond Street HospitalGreat Ormond Street Hospital
Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children is a children's hospital located in London, United Kingdom...
after suffering from a heart condition. Eleven years earlier a son, Ruairí, died in infancy.
Publications
- Micheál Martin, Freedom to Choose : Cork & Party Politics in Ireland 1918–1932 (The Collins Press, Cork, 2009).