TAOISEACH MICHEÁL MARTIN has dismissed suggestions that poor performances in upcoming byelections could trigger a challenge to his leadership, insisting Fianna Fáil remains competitive despite poor polling in Dublin Central.

Asked whether he feared “a Wes Streeting waiting in the wings to challenge your leadership”, Martin said byelections varied from constituency to constituency, and warned against relying too heavily on opinion polls.

Speaking at the Fianna Fáil Ard Fheis at the Royal Convention Centre in Dublin, Martin acknowledged that the Dublin Central constituency had proved difficult territory for the party, pointing out that it has not won a seat there since 2007.

A poll published by The Irish Times and TG4 showed Fianna Fáil candidate John Stephens attracting just 4% of first-preference support ahead of the 22 May byelection.

The survey placed Sinn Féin’s Janice Boylan in first place on 21%, followed by Social Democrats’ Daniel Ennis at 18%, with independent Gerry Hutch polling at 14%

Martin said he has received a “very warm reception” on the doors with Stephens, describing him as having a “very confident, bouncy manner”.

He went on to describe Fianna Fáil’s Galway West byelection candidate, Cillian Keane, saying that people are “appreciative of the fact that we have a young candidate in the race”, pointing out that Keane is the youngest candidate in the Galway West race.

Martin said Fianna Fáil would “assess” the byelection results but pointed to previous contests that had later become “platforms for subsequent general election victories”, giving Bobby Aylward as an example.

He also sought to shift the focus away from internal party matters and onto issues affecting voters.

“To me, the big issue was housing,” Martin said. “Parents worried about the capacity of young people to be able to buy a house that they can afford or that they can rent”.

The Irish Times and TG4 poll found housing and cost of living dominated voter concerns, with 33% citing cost of living as the most important issue in the election and 24% naming house prices.

The full list of candidates who are contesting in the Dublin Central byelection is as follows:

• Janice Boylan (Sinn Féin)
• Tony Corrigan (Independent)
• Daniel Ennis (Social Democrats)
• Colm Joseph Flood (Independent)
• Mannix Flynn (Independent)
• Janet Horner (Green Party)
• Gerry ‘The Monk’ Hutch (Independent)
• Ray McAdam (Fine Gael)
• Eoghan Ó Ceannabháin (People Before Profit)
• Ruth O’Dea (Labour)
• John O’Leary (Independent)
• Ian Noel Smyth (Aontú)
• Malachy Steenson (Independent)
• John Stephens (Fianna Fáil)

The full list of candidates who are contesting the Galway West byelection is as follows:

• Néill Bairéad (Independent)
• A.J. Cahill (The Irish People)
• Mike Cubbard (Independent)
• Patrick Feeney (Independent)
• Sheila Garrity (Independent)
• Cillian Keane (Fianna Fáil)
• Seán Kyne (Fine Gael)
• Mark Lohan (Sinn Féin)
• Niall Murphy (Green Party)
• Míde Nic Fhionnlaoich (Social Democrats)
• Orla Nugent (Aontú)
• Helen Ogbu (Labour)
• John O’Leary (Independent)
• Denman Rooke (People Before Profit)
• Michael Ryan (Independent)
• Noel Thomas (Independent Ireland)
• Thomas Welby (Independent)