Taoiseach could have shown 'more empathy', says FF TD

Fianna Fáil TD Malcolm Byrne has said "more empathy" could have been shown by the Taoiseach during the fuel price protests, a day after Micheál Martin held a meeting with three Fianna Fáil TDs over the response to the fuel crisis.

Speaking on RTÉ's Morning Ireland programme, Mr Byrne said that he had spoken to the Taoiseach and that Mr Martin understands the pain and pressure people are under.

However, he said that some of the tone and language used did not reflect this.

"I think, in terms of the tone from, and I certainly don't personalise it, but the Taoiseach and some of the ministers, I think it could have been a case of more empathy being shown and more understanding, because I do know that they get it," Mr Byrne said.

"We got certain things wrong in terms of our approach last week," he added.

Mr Byrne said he was unaware of any motion of no confidence in the Taoiseach.

The Wicklow-Wexford TD’s comments came following a meeting last night between the Taoiseach and three of his party's TDs who yesterday issued a statement saying "the social contract was strained to breaking point".

In their statement, Fianna Fáil's youngest TDs Ryan O'Meara, Albert Dolan and James O’Connor said it should not require protests to get a government to act .

Their statement was followed hours later by a request from three other Fianna Fáil politicians for an urgent meeting of the parliamentary party.

The fact that Ryan O’Meara and Albert Dolan were part of this strident intervention surprised many in Fianna Fáil.

Chief Whip Mary Butler had offered to listen to their concerns but last night they held a lengthy meeting with the Taoiseach.

Those discussions came against the backdrop of mounting pressure on the Fianna Fáil leader over the Government's handling of the fuel protests.

Although worried, many viewed as occupying the party’s middle ground, are keeping their powder dry amid calls in some quarters to trigger a no confidence motion.

Likely leadership contenders are also not pushing the matter right now.

While an urgent meeting of the parliamentary party has been requested by TDs Seán Ó Fearghaíl and Paudie O'Sullivan as well as Senator Anne Rabbitte, there are no plans to schedule one this week.

The party held a five-hour meeting last Monday.

Fianna Fail's 3 youngest TDs view recent events with 'real & deep concern' James O'Connor Albert Dolan & Ryan O'Meara say 'too often we find senior colleagues expect us to just explain their government difficulties...That is not the role we want nor will we accept it any longer' pic.twitter.com/bSjvSgKJCn — Barry Lenihan (@BarryLenihan) April 15, 2026
'Deep concern' at the recent events
The three youngest Fianna Fáil 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.

They said it is not the role they want and would not accept it any longer.

Instead, they urged party colleagues to listen more closely, speak more honestly and to act more decisively.

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".

"We are deeply worried that the lesson that many of our age will take from recent events is that our politics is not working."
The three TDs said Fianna Fáil must get back to bringing the concerns of the community to the Government and finding solutions.

However, the group of TDs insisted that this intervention is not about challenging any individual or singling out any member of the Government.

Read more: Protests end but pressure begins to mount on Fianna Fáil
An urgent meeting of the Fianna Fáil parliamentary party has been requested by senior party figures to discuss how it can restore public trust.

Deputies Ó Fearghaíl and O'Sullivan, as well as Senator Rabbitte, wrote to party chairperson Brendan Smith last night seeking the parliamentary party meeting.

However, it is likely that the party will not meet until next week.

Watch: RTÉ Political Correspondent Mícheál Lehane on tensions within Fianna Fáil
'It appears that Fianna Fáil has been badly damaged' - O'Dea
Earlier, Willie O'Dea, Fianna Fáil 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 Fáil has been badly damaged by this recent debacle".

Speaking on RTÉ's Drivetime yesterday, 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."
He said the statement by his three colleagues indicated a degree of frustration that has built up in Fianna Fáil "and I think it's mirrored right throughout the organisation".

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 Government's problems to people.

Listen back: Willie O'Dea and Seán Ó Fearghaíl on Fianna Fáil's handling of fuel protests
We need your consent to load this rte-player content We use rte-player to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity.

Please review their details and accept them to load the content.

Manage Preferences
"The Government expects us to explain their problems to people, it's about explaining people's problems to the Government and getting the Government to act on them.

"We seem to have lost the one virtue of which every democracy depends, namely the ability to hear anger before it turns into rebellion."
Asked who he was blaming for this, Mr O'Dea said the party leadership must take responsibility.

"In any organisation which is malfunctioning the level of responsibility increases, obviously as you go up the line.

So the leadership must take a good chunck of responsibility for the way this has developed."
He said the party must be looked at from top to bottom if it must regain the public's trust.

Mr Ó Fearghaíl, a former ceann comhairle, said he was "very impressed" by the statement made by the young TDs criticising their senior colleagues, as it "set out the fundamental principles" of which the party was established.

Speaking on the same programme, the Fianna Fáil TD for Kildare South said it highlighted the "objectives that motivated the founding fathers" of the party.

He said the statement made a point of calling attention to a disconnection between the people in leadership and those at the grassroots.

"And more worryingly, a disconnection between the party in Government and the parliamentary party.