Micheal Martin in Limerick to introduce party's mayoral candidate Dee Ryan

TANAISTE Micheal Martin and Deputy Wilile O’Dea put on a united front as Fianna Fáil formally introduced their directly elected mayor candidate, Dee Ryan, in Limerick city this Monday evening.

Just hours earlier, Deputy O’Dea posted on X (formerly Twitter) that Fianna Fáil “needs to get back to basics and abandon the Hate Speech Bill etc.”

“Focus on housing, health and law and order and stop playing to the woke gallery. Start listening to the people, stop talking down to them and stop listening to the out of touch Greens and NGOs,” wrote Mr O’Dea.

The Fianna Fail TD's comments regarding the referendum, University Hospital Limerick and anti-social behaviour were put to Mr Martin by assembled reporters on the boardwalk at Harvey’s Quay.

The Tanaiste said only the people can decide in terms of an amendment to the Constitution - whether to add, change or delete it.

“It is a very powerful thing in a democracy. I accept the will of the people as expressed last Friday. People are trying to blame this or blame that. I never look at a referendum as a focus for blame. The people decide and you accept it,” said Mr Martin, who added that proposals have been on the table since 1996.

“I’m not so sure woke issues were around in 1996. Suffice to say, this issue has been on the agenda for a long time. This Government put it to the people and they didn't accept the propositions,” said Mr Martin, who denied it was a reflection of dissatisfaction with the Government or a message to Government.

He said himself and Mr O’Dea meet regularly and he was not going to have a conversation in the context of a press briefing.

“It was not today or yesterday that the propositions were conceived - it has been 30 years,” said Mr Martin.

It was put to Mr O’Dea that he said there were a lot of problems in Limerick regarding the hospital, anti-social behaviour and violence and he was obviously not happy with his party and the way they campaigned for the referendum.

Mr O’Dea said he was “here today to help introduce mayoral candidate Dee Ryan”, who, this Monday evening, informed the Board of Limerick Chamber of her resignation from her role as chief executive of the Chamber, a position she has held since 2018.

Mr O'Dea said he has every confidence in Ms Ryan and they will put on a “robust campaign”.