Taoiseach Micheál Martin was engaged in a dogged defence of his leadership at the Fianna Fáil parliamentary party last night amid renewed criticism from his TDs of the party’s disastrous presidential election campaign.
The showdown with the critics in his party came after publication of a long-delayed internal report into the presidential campaign which saw the former Dublin football manager Jim Gavin – who had been strongly backed by Mr Martin to be the Fianna Fáil candidate – abandon his campaign after it emerged he owed a former tenant more than €3,000.
Although the report contained no new damning facts about the issue, some TDs were critical of the leadership’s management of the campaign and the selection process, with some feeling they were kept in the dark by Mr Martin about Mr Gavin until the last minute – and then pressurised into supporting him.
According to sources, Ciarán O’Loughlin, the barrister who chaired the election review, went through the report at length at the parliamentary party meeting. The meeting was then opened up to questions from the floor.
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A proposal by Kildare North TD Naoise Ó Cearúil to limit contributions to two to three minutes was not agreed to by Brendan Smith, the TD chairing the meeting, with Donegal TD Pat the Cope Gallagher said to be the strongest objector.
Some TDs complained that Mr Gavin had been “shielded” from the media both before and after he was ratified as the Fianna Fáil candidate, a point also made by MEP Billy Kelleher, who unsuccessfully sought to be the party’s candidate.
The mood of the meeting was described by one person present as “tense” while another said there was “a lot of anger”.
Mr Martin was said to be “defensive” but also challenging and pushing back on points made by some of the contributors.
According to sources, Mr Gallagher is said to have made a “passionate” contribution and he told the meeting “this is not over tonight”.
Ireland North-West MEP Barry Cowen is said to have criticised the difficulty that former senior party figures had in learning how they could enter the selection contest in contrast to Mr Gavin’s candidacy being backed by the Fianna Fáil leadership.
Sources said Cork East TD James O’Connor and Donegal-based Senator Niall Blaney questioned Mr Martin’s continued leadership of the party.
Earlier, Fianna Fáil parliamentary party members were circulated with a copy of the report, though some TDs expressed their annoyance at only receiving it an hour before the meeting was due to begin.
Repeatedly asked
The report said Mr Gavin was repeatedly asked about allegations that he had difficulties with a tenant in an apartment he had rented out, but consistently said he had no recollection of any difficulty.
Mr Gavin did not co-operate in the production of the report, though a copy was sent to his lawyers before publication. Mr Gavin was contacted for comment by The Irish Times.
During a vetting process carried out by Fianna Fáil before his selection as candidate, Mr Gavin was also pressed on whether he ever had any disputes with tenants in the rental apartment, and was warned that any former tenant with a grievance was likely to come forward during a campaign. Mr Gavin assured Fianna Fáil that he had no recollection of any such difficulties.
It was only when Fianna Fáil was contacted during the election campaign by a former tenant who was owed €3,300 by Mr Gavin, and this query was put to Mr Gavin, did he recall the issue.
The report said Mr Gavin was subjected to a more intensive due diligence process than any previous candidate for the party in any election. Ultimately, party officials accepted Mr Gavin’s assurances he could not recall any disputes.
Once the existence of a dispute with the former tenant was revealed, and Mr Gavin recalled the issue, Mr Martin and deputy leader Jack Chambers told him they were no longer in a position to ask the parliamentary party to continue its support for him.
The report also found the campaign was likely to cost Fianna Fáil between €350,000 and €400,000.
It said it was “extraordinary” the party had no process or rules for picking a presidential candidate.
