Billy Kelleher: Fianna Fáil did not do 'due diligence' before selecting Jim Gavin as presidential candidate

Billy Kelleher, who had hoped to run as Fianna Fáil's candidate, said there were 'multiple failures' in the campaign

Fianna Fáil MEP Billy Kelleher. Picture: Eamonn Farrell/RollingNews

Fianna Fáil MEP Billy Kelleher has accused his party of not doing “due diligence” before choosing Jim Gavin as its presidential election candidate.

He stated there were “multiple failures”, branding it a “very serious miscalculation” that “can’t be swept under the carpet”, as he refused to weigh in on Micheál Martin’s future as Fianna Fáil leader.

Mr Gavin spectacularly pulled out of the race on Sunday night, citing that he had made a mistake. It followed a report in Saturday’s Irish Independent suggesting that he had failed to repay a tenant's rent overpayments of €3,300 that were made in 2009.

Mr Gavin confirmed on Sunday that the property had not been registered with the Residential Tenancies Board (RTB), despite this being required by law since 2004.

The former Dublin GAA manager overcame Cork MEP Billy Kelleher in September to become the party’s candidate.

Speaking on RTÉ radio's Morning Ireland on Monday, Mr Kelleher said he felt “very sorry for Jim Gavin and his family”.

Jim Gavin, speaking to media after a debate on 'The Week in Politics' at RTE's studios in Dublin. Picture: Conor O'Mearain/PA Wire

“The fact that we are now not involved in an election, that's very significant and important, from an Irish political perspective,” he said. "We clearly didn't do our due diligence, didn't do enough interrogation. That was the issue I raised at the outset was the whole process.

“When I issued my first press statement on this issue in the middle of August, I was clearly concerned that there seemed to be no proper process in place. There was no scrutiny of candidates; names were being mentioned on an ad hoc basis.

'Multiple failures'

“I just thought, all in all, it was quite a chaotic scene in early August. From my perspective, I believe that we'll have to review all these things and look at where it all went wrong, not just from the perspective of the candidate, the individual, but the process as well in selecting candidates.” 

When asked if there was a failure on behalf of Mr Martin, Mr Kelleher said there were “multiple failures”.

He continued: “The question that has to be asked is, was enough of this explained to Mr Gavin, and was there enough due diligence done as well in terms of the ability to campaign for the party, to get around the candidate and to push them over the line?

“I'm fully aware of the fact that Micheál Martin was very supportive of Jim Gavin. During the actual parliamentary party campaign, it was very, very evident that there was full support being given to Mr Gavin from Micheál Martin and others in the leadership.

“But I think what we really have to do initially is just to assess the process, how it went so horribly wrong so quickly.

“The leadership of the party, and I presume those in headquarters as well, would have been the ones that would have approached Jim Gavin.

“They would have assessed Jim Gavin. They would have assessed his suitability, and then they would have put him through the parliamentary party.

“For that reason, there obviously will have to be an assessment based on what was done to get Jim Gavin through the parliamentary party without having the due diligence done and the preparation for a candidate going into this type of election.” 

Taoiseach and Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin. File Picture: Sam Boal/Collins Photos

Mr Kelleher stated that Fianna Fáil members across the country were “upset”.

He stated that this situation could not be “just swept under the carpet and we all move on”, branding it “a very serious miscalculation” that has caused “an awful lot of trauma both to individuals, in terms of Jim Gavin and his family, and more broadly, the Fianna Fáil party”.

When asked if Mr Martin’s position was safe as Fianna Fáil leader, Mr Kelleher said he was not a TD, and it was up to TDs to make that decision.

In a message to the Fianna Fáil parliamentary party, Mr Martin said that he understood Mr Gavin’s decision and believed “it is the correct one”.

Mr Martin, as well as Fianna Fáil’s deputy leader Jack Chambers, are now coming under fire from their party following their decision to row in behind Mr Gavin and the subsequent fallout from his candidacy.