Taoiseach eyes cost-of-living package as Fianna Fail left to lick its wounds after by-election losses

The Taoiseach said a cost-of-living package has not been ruled out in the upcoming budget. He linked the by-election outcomes to the impact of cost-of-living pressures on voters. He said the budget would reflect how people are feeling. Fianna Fáil faced setbacks in Dublin Central and Galway West, with low vote shares for its candidates. The results were also described as a setback for Sinn Féin, with Daniel Ennis expected to win Dublin Central for the Social Democrats. The Taoiseach rejected claims that his leadership is under threat and said senior ministers are entitled to express ambitions to lead. He said Fianna Fáil has had structural constituency problems for years.

"Speaking as he arrived at the Galway West count centre, Micheál Martin said: "Electorally, the cost of living has clearly impacted hugely on people." Asked if there would be a cost-of-living package in the budget, he said: "I think we're going to reflect the realities of how people are feeling as best we can in the budget.""

"The Taoiseach insisted his leadership is not under threat as a result of winning just single-digit vote shares in both constituencies, and said that senior ministers in his party are "quite entitled" to express their desires to be the next leader. "We will do our homework, we always want to do better," he said."

"He suggested the Dublin Central result was an outlier, saying the party has had "structural issues" in the constituency going back 20 years. "There are some constituencies where, notwithstanding the journey back for Fianna Fáil, we have had real problems," he said."

"As counting continued in Dublin Central and Galway West, the results are another blow for the leader of Fianna Fáil, whose candidate John Stephens got just 4pc vote share in Dublin Central. The by-elections are also a big setback for Mary Lou McDonald after Sinn Féin found itself squeezed by parties of the left and on course to lose out to the Social Democrats' Daniel Ennis in Dublin Central."

Read at Irish Independent