Taoiseach Micheál Martin.
Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin has been voted Taoiseach of Ireland, following a meeting of Dáil Éireann today.
The 33rd Dáil Éireann gathered in The Convention Centre Dublin on Saturday (27 June) in order to facilitate a physically distanced vote for Ireland’s next head of government.
The vote comes after weeks of negotiation between Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael and the Green Party, whose programme for government was approved by a majority of each party’s members yesterday.
The programme will see Cork South-Central TD Micheál Martin installed as Taoiseach until the end of 2022, at which point the office is expected to be filled by the Fine Gael leader of that time.
In addition to the three parties who will form the next government, several independents also voted for Martin as Taoiseach, including Noel Grealish, Michael Lowry, Peter Fitzpatrick, Verona Murphy, Cathal Berry, Marian Harkin and Matt Shanahan. 93 TDs in total voted to confirm Martin as the new Taoiseach, while 63 voted against – including the entire Sinn Féin parliamentary party.
Other independents, such as Mattie McGrath and Carol Nolan, chose to abstain from the vote.
Martin has been a TD since 1989, and has been leader of Fianna Fáil for nine years. Since 2016, he has led his party in a confidence and supply agreement which propped up the government of Fine Gael. He has held several Cabinet positions, including Minister for Health and Children, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment.
He was a cabinet minister during the coalition between Fianna Fáil and the Greens which oversaw Ireland’s spiral into financial crisis in 2008.
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