Micheal Martin: I want to make a difference and continue to have an impact

Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin has said he wants to serve in another government after the general election.

Mr Martin said he will lead his party into the next election and would like to be part of another administration involving Fianna Fail.

Speculation over the Tanaiste’s future has prompted suggestions that he might seek to become Ireland’s EU commissioner next year, or could even contemplate running for the Irish presidency in 2025.

Mr Martin, whose party held its ard fheis in Dublin on Saturday, insisted he is still committed to politics, and enjoys being involved in decision-making within a government.

“I’m going to lead Fianna Fail into the next general election,” he told RTE on Sunday.

Asked if he wants to serve in another government on the other side of the election, he said: “Yes, that’s the objective, that’s the ambition. Now, it depends on the Irish people and I’m very conscious that … people will decide ultimately on these matters. It has been a great experience to be Taoiseach.”

Explaining his thinking, Mr Martin said: “I’m still committed to politics, I still get angry about things, I still get frustrated about things. I want to make a difference and continue to have an impact if I can.

“And I do enjoy politics still. When I say ‘enjoy it’, I like decision-making. I like being in the thick of it, so to speak, and if I didn’t, I would walk away.

“But, as things stand, being in government gives you the privilege of making decisions, the capacity to make decisions to affect people’s lives for the better. And, also, I like strategically working for the future of the country.

“I think we’ve a country that has come a long way in 100 years. We’re one of the oldest democracies around, we’re a republic, we have faults, we have flaws, but there’s a lot going for this country, in terms of educational attainment, in terms of economic development and in terms of the multicultural sort of change that has occurred in recent decades.

“We’ve been a part of that. We want to be a part of it into the future.”

On Saturday, Mr Martin told reporters at the ard fheis that the next general election remains “wide open” as he again declined to be drawn on the potential for a future coalition with Sinn Fein.

The Fianna Fail leader said there is a “false premise” behind questions on whether his party will countenance entering coalition with Sinn Fein.

He said Fianna Fail and Sinn Fein do not align on many policy issues and suggested Ireland’s main opposition party is not “serious” enough for a role in government.

The Tanaiste also expressed scepticism on opinion polls that continue to give Sinn Fein a significant lead over Fianna Fail and Fine Gael ahead of the next general election.

Mr Martin insisted the electoral situation is “dynamic” as he responded to questions on the prospect of a future government deal with Sinn Fein.

“The premise behind the question is somehow everybody will have to make up their mind whether they coalesce with Sinn Fein,” he said.

“I don’t believe that is the premise upon which we should discuss the next general election, because actually I think it’s very open.

“And the current three parties in government (Fine Gael, Fianna Fail and the Greens) could get enough votes to form the next government.

“That clearly can’t be ruled out.”