Micheál Martin TD |
|
---|---|
Leader of the Opposition | |
Assumed office 9 March 2011 |
|
President |
Mary McAleese Michael D. Higgins |
Taoiseach | Enda Kenny |
Preceded by | Enda Kenny |
Leader of Fianna Fáil | |
Assumed office 23 January 2011 |
|
Deputy |
Mary Hanafin (2011) Brian Lenihan, Jnr (2011) Éamon Ó Cuív (2011–12) |
Preceded by | Brian Cowen |
Minister for Foreign Affairs | |
In office 7 May 2008 – 18 January 2011 |
|
Taoiseach | Brian Cowen |
Preceded by | Dermot Ahern |
Succeeded by | Brian Cowen |
Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment | |
In office 29 September 2004 – 7 May 2008 |
|
Taoiseach | Bertie Ahern |
Preceded by | Mary Harney |
Succeeded by | Mary Coughlan |
Minister for Health and Children | |
In office 27 January 2000 – 29 September 2004 |
|
Taoiseach | Bertie Ahern |
Preceded by | Brian Cowen |
Succeeded by | Mary Harney |
Minister for Education and Science | |
In office 26 June 1997 – 27 January 2000 |
|
Taoiseach | Bertie Ahern |
Preceded by | Niamh Bhreathnach (Education) |
Succeeded by | Michael Woods |
Teachta Dála | |
Assumed office June 1989 |
|
Constituency | Cork South–Central |
Personal details | |
Born |
Turner's Cross, Cork, Ireland |
1 August 1960
Nationality | Irish |
Political party | Fianna Fáil |
Spouse(s) | Mary O'Shea |
Children | 5 (2 deceased) |
Alma mater | University College Cork |
Profession | Secondary school teacher |
Religion | Roman Catholicism |
Website | michealmartin |
Micheál Martin (Irish pronunciation: [mʲiːçaːl̪ˠ]; born 1 August 1960) is an Irish politician who has been leader of Fianna Fáil since January 2011, and Leader of the Opposition since March 2011. He is a Teachta Dála (TD) for the Cork South–Central constituency. Prior to becoming party leader, Martin served as Minister for Education and Science (1997–2000), Minister for Health and Children (2000–04), Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment (2004–08) and Minister for Foreign Affairs (2008–11).
As Minister for Health and Children in 2004, he introduced a ban on tobacco smoking in all Irish workplaces and established the Health Service Executive (HSE). Ireland was the first country to introduce a full workplace smoking ban. As Minister for Foreign Affairs in 2009, Martin travelled to Latin America for the first time, and made the first official visit to Cuba by an Irish government minister. That same year, he travelled to Khartoum following the kidnapping of Sharon Commins and Hilda Kawuki. In 2010 he became the first Western foreign minister to visit Gaza since Hamas took control there in 2007. On 18 January 2011 Brian Cowen accepted his resignation as Foreign Minister. On 26 January 2011 Fianna Fáil announced that Micheál Martin had been elected as the eighth leader of the party, following Cowen's resignation as party leader four days previously. In the 2011 general election Martin led the party to its worst showing in its 85-year history, with a loss of 57 seats and a drop in its share of the popular vote to 17.4%. In the 2016 general election Fianna Fáil's performance improved significantly, more than doubling their Dáil representation to 44 seats from 20 in 2011.