VARIOUS FIANNA FÁIL representatives are coming out to either express concern about the direction of the party or to ask that they hold a meeting to clear the air.

The calls came first from the three youngest TDs in the party and follow internal upheaval brought about as a result of the government’s handling of the fuel protests.

The moves are piling the pressure on Taoiseach and Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin, who has led the party for over 15 years and has survived multiple occasions when his leadership was under pressure, not least following the Jim Gavin fiasco.

At present, there is no other party TD putting their hand up to lead a heave to replace Martin, but is this the time to do it?

Anyone who replaces Martin as Fianna Fáil leader is likely to be Taoiseach until the end of 2027 too, so everyone in the country has a stake in the party shenanigans.

Some may argue that this is a particularly bad time to replace the leader, as Ireland is set to take the six-month presidency of the EU in July and Martin is therefore meeting each EU leader one-by-one ahead that handover.

Poll: Is now the time for Fianna Fáil to replace its leader?