Micheál Martin has apologised and acknowledged the “hurt and shock” of Fianna Fáil members as he addressed his party on its disastrous presidential election campaign.
The Taoiseach is understood to have told a packed meeting of his parliamentary party how he was sorry for how things had turned out and was “devastated” by the situation.
The party’s candidate, former Dublin football manager Jim Gavin, stopped his campaign on Sunday night amid a controversy over his time as a landlord in the late 2000s.
There is anger within Fianna Fáil that it no longer has a candidate in the race, about how Mr Gavin was selected and a vetting process that did not uncover a dispute he had with a former tenant.
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Mr Gavin was party leader Mr Martin’s preferred choice to be Fianna Fáil’s candidate.
Backbenchers have made accusations that Mr Martin and deputy leader Jack Chambers had put parliamentary party members under pressure to back Mr Gavin.
In an internal party contest for the candidacy, Mr Gavin beat MEP Billy Kelleher by 41 votes to 29.
[ Tenant at centre of Jim Gavin debt controversy says there could have been ‘a better outcome’ ]
Mr Martin spoke at length about the due diligence undertaken with the former candidate Mr Gavin and the probing questions that were asked.
He said he was open to any suggestions on how the presidential selection process could be changed for the future and told the meeting he “always had the best interest of the party at heart”.
A review into the election campaign, which may recommend process changes on candidate selection, is due to be carried out within a short timeframe. Members of a review committee are yet to be chosen.
Party members outlined their disappointment during the meeting, while some also spoke about the duty of care the party had to Mr Gavin and his family.
Veteran Donegal TD Pat ‘the Cope’ Gallagher was very critical of the process that led to Mr Gavin’s selection. “Yes, it was democratic, but it was a contrived majority,” he said during what sources said was an impassioned contribution.
Ireland South MEP Cynthia Ní Mhurchú told the meeting she wanted to run in the election, but was told by Mr Martin he had already been in touch with Mr Gavin.
Earlier, Minister for Justice Jim O’Callaghan, who is widely seen as a possible future Fianna Fáil leader, was asked about the situation at a post-budget press conference.
He said he did not believe Mr Martin was “badly damaged by the Jim Gavin event”. He expressed concern for Mr Gavin, saying “it is an extremely difficult time for him and his family”.
Mr O’Callaghan said it was “easy to say in hindsight there were mistakes in the process” of selecting Mr Gavin as Fianna Fáil candidate.
“I don’t blame people for what occurred,” he said.
He confirmed he aspired to be party leader at “some stage in the future”, but said it was “not an immediate concern for me”.
“I would have thought every member of the parliamentary party has that aspiration.”
Mr O’Callaghan said he was “very pleased with the leadership of Micheál Martin”. Fianna Fáil emerged from the latest general election as the largest party in Government and Mr Martin was “doing a very good job as leader of Fianna Fáil and, indeed, as Taoiseach”, Mr O’Callaghan said.
