We’re not delivering fast enough, Taoiseach tells Tubridy

Taoiseach Micheál Martin has said that the “checks and balances” associated with regulatory bodies and the excessive time it takes to get things done are “why President Trump and alternative political positions are being given greater credence today.”

Mr Martin made the comments on The Bookshelf with Ryan Tubridy podcast.

“We’re not delivering fast enough, we’ve too many checks and balances,” Mr Martin said. 

“That’s the problem in modern liberal democracies, and it is why President Trump and why alternative positions are being given greater credence, because there is a legitimacy to saying the Government has an entitlement to get things done for the greater good”.

Priority issues

Mr Martin said that he met the secretaries general of the various Government departments recently and highlighted the issue regarding the delivery of projects in Ireland. During the interview, Mr Martin also said that housing and disability are the two priority issues for him in Government.

He also spoke about his recent visit to the White House, saying: “Every meeting I have, you have to have a clear set of objectives… I had clear messages I wanted to get across, such as the Irish contribution in terms of investment in America, the Ryanair thing, and all of that”.

• The full episode is available as a podcast from next Tuesday, April 22.