MINISTER FOR TRANSPORT Darragh O’Brien has reaffirmed Fianna Fáil’s faith in leader Micheál Martin after party members questioned the future leadership of the party over the weekend.

Speaking on RTÉ’s Morning Ireland today, O’Brien said that the “vast majority” of Senators and TD’s in Fianna Fáil support the Taoiseach, despite a “difficult” few weeks.

Carlow-Kilkenny TD John McGuinness and Fianna Fáil Senator Anne Rabbitte both criticised the party leader over the weekend.

Speaking on RTÉ’s This Week programme yesterday McGuinness said Fianna Fáil needs a new leader “in the not too distant future”.

No confidence motion

When it was put to O’Brien today that ten of the 12 required signatures for a no confidence motion in Martin have been secured, he reaffirmed parliamentary party member’s support of him.

“We have 48 TDs, we have over 20 senators in the parliamentary party as well. The vast majority of them support Micheál Martin as leader unquestionably,” he said.

The Minister for Transport acknowledged disappointment in the party over Jim Gavin’s failed presidential run and said he agreed with McGuinness that the previous weeks were difficult for the party.

“The last few weeks have certainly been difficult. Our parliamentary party met just over two weeks ago and we had a full discussion with the party leader and colleagues about what happened and there was a lot of disappointment,” he said.

“The Presidential Election did not work out for us. Learnings need to be made and will be made from that”.

He said this is why the review of the party’s Presidential Campaign is going ahead, but described Martin as an “exceptional leader”.

“If you look at the 14 years that Micheál Martin has led Fianna Fáil, he’s brought the party back, literally, from the brink, back to being the largest party in Government,” he said.

“He has shown great leadership over the course of that, in relation to referenda that we’ve had in relation to same-sex marriage, in relation to women’s reproductive rights and Repeal the 8th.”