Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin has accused Averil Power of being disingenuous in her reasons for leaving Fianna Fáil, saying the reasons she has given are a cover for an "internal" party issue. Meanwhile, the Senator has hit back, saying Martin
Senator Power announced her shock decision to become an independent Senator earlier today. Speaking on the plinth at Leinster House she claimed Fianna Fáil lacks courage, commitment and conviction and says that the marriage equality referendum was the final straw.
However party leader Micheál Martin says she is just using that issue “to cover what is essentially, unfortunately, an internal” issue. Mr Martin told The Last Word on Today FM that the true issue that has led to Ms Power’s decision to leave the party is regarding “the election of the Fianna Fáil candidates” for the Dublin bay North constituency in the next general election campaign.
Ms Power said earlier today that the party's approach to the same-sex marriage referendum was the 'final straw' and hit out at Micheál Martin as 'a leader without followers'.
She said Fianna Fáil as a whole lacks courage, commitment and conviction, and she does not see that changing, even with a different leader.
In response to Mr Martin's comments, Ms Power said the Fianna Fáil leader's claims were "total rubbish" and that he had told her "months ago" she was his preference to stand in the constituency.
Total rubbish from Micheal Martin on @RTENewsAtOne He told me months ago that his preference was for 1 FF candidate & it would be me.
— Senator Averil Power (@averilpower) May 25, 2015
I felt I would be selected at convention but he said if that didn't happen the party would add me to the ticket.
— Senator Averil Power (@averilpower) May 25, 2015
I'm confident I'd have won a Dáil seat for FF but ultimately I decided that I don't want to be a TD for a party I don't believe in.
— Senator Averil Power (@averilpower) May 25, 2015
In a statement on the plinth in Leinster House this afternoon, Senator Power said she will continue on as an independent senator.
Senator Power was elected to the Seanad in 2011, by the Industrial and Commercial Panel.
The news comes after Fianna Fáil’s Bobby Aylward won the Carlow-Kilkenny by-election seat this weekend.
He overtook 13 candidates to take the seat left vacant by EU Commissioner Phil Hogan.
The decision by Averil Power to resign will raise further questions about Micheal Martin's leadership of the party - despite the by-election success.
Former Fianna Fáil candidate and columnist Noel Whelan, speaking to Newstalk Lunchtime, says the announcement will disrupt Fianna Fáil's attempts to regain its political footing.
Averil Power's Dublin Bay North constituency colleague, Minister Richard Bruton says he won't answer hypothetical questions about whether the door is open to her in Fine Gael.
He says he will not get involved in the debate about the issues that are in Fianna Fáil:
