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GIVING YOUNG PEOPLE hope that they can find and afford a home to buy or rent is “a defining challenge of our time”, the Taoiseach told Fianna Fáil’s Ard Fheis this evening.
The party is celebrating its hundredth anniversary.
Addressing delegates at the Royal Convention Centre in Dublin, where the Ard Fheis is being hosted, Micheál Martin said he wasn’t going to try and “win headlines” with Budget promises, nor give a rundown of the party’s achievements.
“Instead, I’m going to do something more positive and more constructive,” he said.
“I want to talk with you about the bigger, fundamental challenges we are facing as a country and exactly what can be done to meet and overcome them.”
Martin spoke at length about the need for a strong economy, reducing the cost of living pressures, and delivering housing and services.
On the economy, he spoke passionately about the need for Ireland to expand its trade and explore new markets. He used the example of Irish exports to Canada, which he said have increased fourfold due to free trade.
“It’s not just about new industries – trade is essential for farming, rural communities and the agri-food sector. We export over €21 billion of food products to 180 countries across the world.”
He hit out at unnamed parties who “ignore the economy”: “Every day in the Dáil they act as if the economy will just look after itself”.
“They just don’t understand that the surest way to lose our economic edge is to take it for granted,” he continued.
On the issue of housing, the Taoiseach said there is “only one serious way of doing this [providing housing]“, which is building homes.
There were over 36,000 new homes built last year, but Martin said he is aware this is not enough. Steady and relentless investment is needed, he said.
“We must make it easier to build the homes we need – and we must be honest that this involves tough choices. We will implement our reforms to planning so that decisions are fair but also faster.”
He said Fianna Fáil is the party taking action on housing.
While engaging with the media earlier today, Martin was asked what the party’s founders would make of record homelessness under Fianna Fáil’s leadership. He acknowledged that although the party has seen construction of more housing units in recent years, it is not sufficient.
Fianna Fáil is passionate about Ireland’s role in the EU, the party leader said.
“In the face of those who want to hollow-out the European Union, Ireland must be resolute. We can see in Britain how much damage they can do if left unchallenged.”
When Fianna Fáil was founded 100 years ago, it was unimaginable that Ireland would one day help lead an organisation like the EU, he said.
“That’s a great testimony to those who believed that Ireland could overcome the toughest of challenges.”
While Martin did not address any questions surrounding his continued leadership of Fianna Fáil in the speech, his leader’s address was preceded by an introduction by Kildare North TD Naoise Ó Cearúil, who passionately backed the Taoiseach.
Ó Cearúil described Martin as someone who had led the party through the pandemic and with calmness during turbulent times.
Members of his front bench were also asked today about whether they’d be interested in taking on the role of leader, several of whom remained coy about the future even as they backed Martin.
The Taoiseach himself shrugged off queries about whether this could be his last Ard Fheis in the driver’s seat, and instead sought to highlight his concerns on issues affecting voters.
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