Micheál Martin

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Micheál Martin's leadership, uh, came under question.

So they're, I mean, they do serve a purpose, but I think the purpose they serve nowadays is very different from that they served 20 years ago.

And Pat was talking about no elections in prospect.

Are you gonna be there, Pat?

I will be in Farmleigh, uh, tomorrow.

Yeah, we have to get up at some unconscionable hour on Saturday morning, tomorrow, to go through security in the RDS, and then we'll be bussed out to the, uh, uh, bussed out to Farmleigh, where we will sit around for hours and hours waiting for, uh, Donald Trump to come to meet Micheál Martin.

We expect some class of a press opportunity at, at that stage, where we might get to ask our shout questions.

Well, what about the other area where there seems to be a public disagreement between you, which is that of stamp duty? Because Seamus McGrath and James Brown and Fianna Fáil both said it'd be a good idea to remove stamp duty for first-time buyers.

Micheál Martin said it bears discussion.

You were fairly fast out of the traps to say no, it doesn't.

Well, look, I believe sometimes the job of finance minister is to say no.

And it'll be interesting to see what, if anything, is raised with him when he comes here.

I think there is an expectation that both Micheál Martin and Catherine Connolly will raise some of these things with him.

And we know Catherine Connolly has always said she'll do her constitutional duty.

But she has spoken many times in the past about the normalisation of war, which she is so against.

So it'd be interesting.

You know, it wouldn't be beyond the bounds that she would raise that with him.

Micheál Martin, I suppose, is in a difficult position because the relationship with America transcends everything.

So the welcome mat is out and we must remember that Micheál Martin invited Donald Trump here too.

Donald Trump is visiting Ireland at the moment.

Should Micheál Martin have a word with him to speed up this investigation for the sake of Ruth, Juliana and all those who perished? Well,

thousands of people have perished.

And I've said many times that more people perished in the 9-11 attacks than the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor.

And then if anyone is flying out of Shannon or indeed Dublin, they've obviously all been warned to allow for extra time.

Now, in total, Donald Trump is expected to be on our beautiful island for less than 48 hours.

It's expected during that time he'll have the meeting with Micheál Martin, which is definitely down for tomorrow.

Now, there was to be a sod turning at the new embassy that's been built in Balls Bridge.

Now, they might be discussing organisation and leadership.

I mean, in a few of the recent Fianna Fáil thinkings, Micheál Martin's leadership came under question.

So, I mean, they do serve a purpose, but I think the purpose they serve nowadays is very different from that they served 20 years ago.

And Pat was talking about no elections in prospect.

You're going to be there, Pat?

I will be in Farmley tomorrow.

Yeah, we have to get up at some unconscionable hour on a Saturday morning tomorrow to go through security in the RDS and then we'll be bussed out to Farmley where we will sit around for hours and hours waiting for Donald Trump to come to meet Micheál Martin.

We expect some class of a press opportunity tomorrow.

In the next few weeks, what we can expect, some of the talking points, a lot of clashing really between Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil over different bits.

You know, Martin earlier on in the week saying that there wouldn't be extra energy credits.

Then Simon Harris this morning saying he wouldn't rule anything out, even though he agrees they're not the best way to do things.

Stamp duty row, where Fianna Fáil wants to see stamp duty scrapped for first-time buyers to allow them to get on the market this morning.

There's no point in sitting in a room.

I was keen to get as many people out.

So we had Martin Hayden out in Boulivogue yesterday, 50 to 60 farmers.

Very frank and open debate there in a farm shed.

Donald Trump is visiting Ireland at the moment.

Should Micheál Martin have a word with him to speed up this investigation for the sake of Ruth, Juliana and all those who perished?

Well, thousands of people have perished and I've said many times that more people perished in the 9-11 attacks than the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbour.

And that brought thousands of young Americans in to fight for American freedom.

He said, you know, and he said, you know, he said, you know, he said, you know, he said, you know, he said, you know, he said,

Well, I remember in Washington last year, when Micheál Martin was saying, oh, we're talking about what you're going to do in the future, in these pieces, and fair play to you, and things like that.

But you weren't talking about Keir Starmer, you weren't talking about Keir Starmer, you were talking about it.

But anyway, you're doing a great job, and it's a great thing to do.

Now just again to think what that's going to do for the town centre in terms of buoyancy to the local economy and the surrounding areas.

So you know it's just again another incredible project and I suppose as well just Micheál Martin during Covid announced 75 million for the hospital as well.

So just the level of projects, multi-million projects being carried out around the area We have as well Minister Mary Butler will be coming shortly to open the new St Anthony's on the Glenconner Road.

So oftentimes people kind of, it's only when it's pointed out to them that we have multi, multi, multi-million projects that some of them have yet to start, some of them under construction.