'Rumours totally unfounded,' says Mattie McGrath on reports he is returning to Fianna Fáil

The reports this past Bank Holiday weekend that moves were afoot to facilitate the return of Tipperary TD Mattie McGrath to Fianna Fáil nearly 15 years after losing the party whip, are not true the TD has said.

According to the reports, Ministers told the Mail on Sunday this weekend that they had approached Deputy McGrath in Leinster House last week asking him to consider re-joining the party.

Despite voting for Micheál Martin’s appointment of Taoiseach, McGrath will not be returning to join the Taoiseach’s party.

READ NEXT: Tipperary TD Mattie McGrath could be making a return to Fianna Fáil, according to reports

“John Lee did contact me at the weekend and I asked him what about, he texted back that he wanted to do a story about me re-joining Fianna Fail and I never spoke to him, he went ahead with his story and I don’t know where he got his information. Those rumours are totally unfounded,” said McGrath about the rumours. 

Mattie McGrath has previously spoken out about why he voted in favour of Micheál Martin's appointment as Taoiseach.

The news of the vote surprised many as McGrath has been a fierce critic of Martin over the past few years.

Micheál Martin was appointed Taoiseach on Thursday January 23, the day after the first sitting of the Dáil was derailed when chaos broke out between members on Wednesday.

Speaking with McGrath about his reasons for voting in Micheál Martin as Taoiseach, he said: "Fianna Fáil were the biggest party after the election so Micheál Martin was in pro position to become Taoiseach."

READ NEXT: Tipperary Secondary School welcomes the announcement of two new ASD classrooms