Rural Ireland Thinks: Nearly half of rural Ireland wants Micheál Martin to step down in 2027Rural Ireland Thinks: However, it is clear there is no immediate threat to Mr Martin’s position, with many in Fianna Fáil conceding that there is little appetite for a heave Tue, 15 Sep, 2026 – 05:56Elaine Loughlin
Almost half of people living in rural Ireland would like to see Taoiseach Micheál Martin step down early next year to allow for a new party leader, a new poll reveals.
Questions over Micheál Martin’s leadership have been circling for some time now, yet no clear successor has emerged. This is reflected in the results of today’s Irish Examiner’s Rural Ireland Thinks poll.
While 48% of those questioned said Mr Martin should stand down in January, just 19% of people believe that justice minister Jim O’Callaghan, who is currently seen as the front runner to take over, would be a better leader for Fianna Fáil and the country.
Slightly fewer (14%) said social protection minister Dara Calleary would be a better leader.
This reflects his own parliamentary party, with a general consensus among Fianna Fáil TDs, senators, and MEPs that Mr Martin should be allowed to steer Ireland through the EU presidency, which runs until the end of December, but “a conversation” will be required immediately after that.
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Micheál Martin should step down this year, say Fianna Fáil TDs, MEPs, and senators
However, it is clear there is no immediate threat to Mr Martin’s position, with many attending the party think-in in Tullamore last week, conceding that there is little appetite for a heave.
Many noted that Mr Martin was in “great form” going out for dinner and sampling the local whiskey in the midlands town with his party colleagues. One TD suggested that “he is like a man that is thinking about 10 more years”.
The poll carried out by Ipsos, reveals the Fianna Fáil leader retains significant backing from within his own ranks with 61% of party members of the belief that he should stay on until after the next election.
This compares to 32% of those polled who also plan on voting in the next election.
When the figures are broken down by age, support for Mr Martin staying as leader of Fianna Fáil is lower among under 34-year-olds and increases with age to 44% among over 65-year-olds.
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Those living in Connacht/Ulster are more likely to say Mr Martin should stand down as leader in January 2027. However, there is more resistance to Jim O’Callaghan (31%) and Dara Calleary (30%) than support.
It appears the public hasn’t thought about who might take over if Mr Martin was to step down as more than half said they don’t have an opinion either way or they don’t know.
Party support
If there was a general election tomorrow, 15% of those asked would vote for Fine Gael and 14% for Fianna Fáil, reflecting a similar pattern to how adults voted in the last election, but with a much tighter gap to Independents who are on 12% and Sinn Fein on 11% than when compared with past claimed voting.
Further down the line is Independent Ireland on 5%, followed by the Social Democrats on 4%. Other parties barely register gaining 1% or less support.
However, Fine Gael has a significant lead when the findings are broken down to look at farmers in isolation. One in four of this group said they would be most inclined to support Simon Harris’ party in a general election.
When it comes to individual performances, Taoiseach Micheál Martin, has a satisfaction score of 4.39 out of 10, followed by Tánaiste Simon Harris on 4.24. Holly Cairns of the Social Democrats is on 4.12, followed by Sinn Féin’s Mary Lou McDonald on 3.87; Labour leader Ivana Bacik on 3.69 and Roderic O’Gorman of the Greens on 3.33.
- The Rural Ireland Thinks survey was funded by the News Reporting Scheme.
- Elaine Loughlin is Political Editor.
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