Who is Micheál Martin?
Micheál Martin, born in 1960, has sat in the Dáil for Cork South-Central since 1989 and held several ministries, among them education, health, enterprise and foreign affairs. He became Fianna Fáil leader in 2011 and led it through its recovery in opposition. After the 2020 election he was Taoiseach in a three-party coalition until December 2022, then Tánaiste. Following the November 2024 election he returned as Taoiseach in January 2025 at the head of a Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael government with independents. Under the coalition agreement Simon Harris is due to take over the post in November 2027. Budget 2027 was delivered on 6 October 2026.
Previously: Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs (2022-2025) · Taoiseach (2020-2022) · Leader of the Opposition (2011-2020) · Minister for Foreign Affairs (2008-2011) · Minister for Health and Children (2000-2004) · Minister for Education and Science (1997-2000)
Documented positions
- Budget 2027 set out an 8.5 billion euro package, including income tax cuts worth 1.3 billion euro, a 10 euro rise in weekly social welfare rates and a minimum wage of 14.94 euro an hour.Source: irishtimes.com
- His government's housing plan, Delivering Homes, Building Communities, aims for 300,000 homes by the end of the decade, drops yearly targets and extends rent pressure zones nationwide.Source: irishexaminer.com
- The government wants to remove the UN approval test from the triple lock on deploying troops abroad, arguing that the world has changed and the Security Council is paralysed.Source: irishtimes.com
- He says Ireland will not join NATO or any other military alliance, and he rejects calls for a referendum on the triple lock change.Source: irishexaminer.com
- He said in January 2018 that he would vote to remove the Eighth Amendment, after earlier describing himself as pro-life.Source: universitytimes.ie
- In June 2026 he said he would vote to move a Sinn Féin bill ending the mandatory three-day abortion wait to committee stage; government TDs had a free vote.Source: irishtimes.com
- He backed an Occupied Territories law covering goods from Israeli settlements but not services, saying a services ban could damage Ireland more than anyone else.Source: irishtimes.com
- His government passed the International Protection Bill 2026, putting the EU asylum pact into law with faster decisions and a two-year wait for refugee family reunification.Source: irishexaminer.com
Record
In the October 2025 presidential election, Fianna Fáil's candidate Jim Gavin withdrew three weeks before polling day and independent Catherine Connolly won. Martin accepted responsibility for the party's handling of the race and apologised to Fianna Fáil. Some TDs have since questioned whether he can protect their seats, and the Irish Times reported in July 2026 that nobody knows whether he will lead the party into the next election. The Occupied Territories law was criticised by opposition parties as gutted because it omits services.
Supporters credit him with stable coalition government, record budget surpluses and a housing plan. Critics charge that housing delivery falls short of targets and that the triple lock change weakens neutrality.