A native of Turner’s Cross on Cork’s southside, Micheál Martin (64) was first elected to Dail Éireann for Cork South Central at his second attempt in 1989, four years after he won a seat on Cork Corporation.

He has been re-elected at every election since, frequently as the poll topper.

Prior to becoming Fianna Fáil leader, he held several portfolios in various Fianna Fáil led administrations including education, enterprise and employment and health in the late 1990s and 2000s and it was as minister for health that he introduced the much-praised smoking ban in 2004.

Succeeding Brian Cowen as Fianna Fáil leader in 2011, he rebuilt the party from that year’s disastrous general election performance when it lost 57 seats, and since his return to Government in a coalition deal with Fine Gael and the Greens, he has served as both taoiseach and tánaiste.