[ad_1]
Taoiseach Micheál Martin has responded to criticism of his leadership by frank TD Marc MacSharry of Fianna Fáil.
The Taoiseach said MacSharry has “made it clear that he is not satisfied” with the way the party is run since Martin removed him from his ministerial appointments.
The Fianna Fáil leader said his focus is on the “substance” of the policy, such as tackling Brexit and Covid-19.
However, Mr. Martin criticized the Sligo-Leitrim TD’s comments about interim medical director Ronan Glynn, who said he should not give regular televised briefings on Covid-19 because he is “scarring the bejaysus” out. of the public.
“One point that I would like to make where I would seriously disagree with Marc is his comments regarding the medical director and that we should remove him from our screens or somehow disappear from public view,” said the Taoiseach.
“I think it was something that I couldn’t fully understand because the Irish want to hear from the medical director. They value and respect Medical Director Ronan Glynn and indeed his predecessor Tony Holohan, ”he added.
Martin said the public wants expert information and assurances during the pandemic.
“Those who try to relegate the views of public health experts or make them disappear or take them off screens have not done so well in terms of mortality or generally in dealing with the Covid 19 problem,” he said.
At a meeting of the Fianna Fáil parliamentary party on Thursday, MacSharry said that Fianna Fáil “has no leadership and not even management” at present.
He said there is a “teacher-student relationship” between Mr. Martin and his TDs where the parliamentary party is expected to be “empty glasses eager to learn from the teacher.”
MacSharry also said the Taoiseach should stop holding joint press conferences with Varadkar. “It’s circling around you,” he said.
Near
Criticism: Fianna Fáil’s Marc MacSharry made the remarks during a meeting of the Fianna Fáil parliamentary party
Higher Education Minister Simon Harris also defended Dr. Glynn in the wake of MacSharry’s comments.
He said: “The acting CMO has saved lives. The acting CMO is someone to whom we are in debt as a country.”
Harris said Glynn entered the job under difficult circumstances, adding: “During my time as health minister, I know how incredibly hard he has worked. I can only imagine how exhausted he must feel.”
When asked about the unrest at Fianna Fáil’s parliamentary party meeting, Mr. Harris said: “Of all the things that concern me, the content of internal party disputes, is not one of the things that I would lose sleep, I’ve lost sleep over many issues this year … That hasn’t been one of them.
He said: “Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael and the Green Party are working together in an association government.
“We have to deal with Brexit, we have to deal with Covid, the reopening of schools, the whole process of getting people, the National Recovery Plan, the Budget. I’m sure no one at Fianna Fáil would appreciate your comment on their meetings “.
He insisted that the government is “settling down well.”
“I think we are starting to get our teeth stuck on the big important issues that people want us to address and that I know will be the priority for all of us who serve in the Cabinet.”
Online editors
[ad_2]