The Taoiseach last night met with three of his party’s TDs who yesterday issued a statement saying the social contract was strained to breaking point.<\/p>\n
The statement was followed hours later by a request from three other Fianna F\u00e1il politicians for an urgent meeting of the parliamentary party.<\/p>\n
Fianna F\u00e1il\u2019s youngest TDs Ryan O\u2019Meara, Albert Dolan and James O\u2019Connor said it should not require protests to get a government to act.<\/p>\n
The fact that Ryan O\u2019Meara and Albert Dolan were part of this strident intervention surprised many in Fianna F\u00e1il.<\/p>\n
The Chief Whip Mary Butler had offered to listen to their concerns but last night they held a lengthy meeting with the Taoiseach.<\/p>\n
Those discussions came against the backdrop of mounting pressure on the Fianna F\u00e1il leader over the Government\u2019s handling of the fuel protests.<\/p>\n
Although worried, many viewed as occupying the party\u2019s middle ground, are keeping their powder dry amid calls in some quarters to trigger a no confidence motion.<\/p>\n
Likely leadership contenders are also not pushing the matter right now.<\/p>\n
While an urgent meeting of the parliamentary party has been requested by TDs Sean O Fearghail and Paudie O\u2019Sullivan as well as Senator Anne Rabbitte, there are no plans to schedule one this week.<\/p>\n
The party held a five hour meeting last Monday.<\/p>\n
Deep concern at the recent events<\/p>\n
The three youngest Fianna F\u00e1il TDs had issued a statement in which they said senior colleagues expect them to just explain the Government’s difficulties amid what they termed their deep concern at the events of recent weeks.<\/p>\n
They said said it is not the role they want and would not accept it any longer.<\/p>\n
Instead, they urged party colleagues to listen more closely, speak more honestly and to act more decisively.<\/p>\n
They said that the social contract is “strained to breaking point” and that “it should not require protests and deep community frustration to get a government to listen and act”.<\/p>\n
“We are deeply worried that the lesson that many of our age will take from recent events is that our politics is not working.”<\/p>\n
The three TDs said Fianna F\u00e1il must get back to bringing the concerns of the community to the Government and finding solutions.<\/p>\n
They said this view is shared by their most experienced colleagues.<\/p>\n
However, the group of TDs insisted that this intervention is not about challenging any individual or singling out any member of the Government.<\/p>\n
Urgent FF parliamentary party meeting requested<\/p>\n
An urgent meeting of the Fianna F\u00e1il parliamentary party has been requested by senior party figures to discuss how it can restore public trust.<\/p>\n
TDs Se\u00e1n \u00d3 Feargha\u00edl and Paudie O’Sullivan as well as Senator Anne Rabbitte wrote to party chairperson Brendan Smith tonight seeking the meeting.<\/p>\n
It is likely that the party will not meet until next week however.<\/p>\n
It follows on today’s statement by three young Fianna F\u00e1il TDs which stated that they have deep concerns about the events of recent weeks.<\/p>\n
Watch: RT\u00c9 Political Correspondent M\u00edche\u00e1l Lehane on internal tensions within Fianna F\u00e1il<\/p>\n
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‘It appears that Fianna F\u00e1il has been badly damaged’ – O’Dea<\/p>\n
Earlier, Willie O’Dea, Fianna F\u00e1il TD for Limerick city, said that judging from the reaction he is getting from people in his own constituency and beyond, “it appears that Fianna F\u00e1il has been badly damaged by this recent debacle”.<\/p>\n
Speaking on RT\u00c9’s Drivetime he said: “I’ve got a series of emails from people who I helped out and people who have canvassed and voted for me in the past, telling me they’ll never vote for me again because I’m representing the wrong party. A party they’ve totally lost confidence in.”<\/p>\n
He said the statement by his three colleagues indicated a degree of frustration that has built up in Fianna F\u00e1il “and I think it’s mirrored right throughout the organisation”.<\/p>\n
He said what Mr O’Connor, Mr O’Meara and Mr Dolan are saying is being a democratic political party in these times is not about explaining the Governmen’ts problems to people.<\/p>\n
Listen back: Willie O’Dea and Se\u00e1n \u00d3 Feargha\u00edl on Fianna F\u00e1il’s handling of fuel protests<\/p>\n