Taoiseach denies panel has delayed report into Fianna Fáil's handling of presidential election

Micheál Martin: 'I'm a bit bemused by the commentary, frankly. It should be allowed to get on with its work.' Photo: Leah Farrell / © RollingNews.ie

Taoiseach Micheál Martin has denied that the report into Fianna Fáil's calamitous handling of the presidential election has been delayed.

This is despite the party being told four weeks ago that it would be due in four weeks’ time.

The Fianna Fáil parliamentary party was told on Wednesday evening, the day they were expecting the report, that the review panel needed more time to complete the report and would not finish its work until at least the first week of December.

Its nominee Jim Gavin withdrew from last month’s election after it emerged he had failed to disclose to the party that he had not repaid rent overpayments he received from a tenant.

The Taoiseach said on Friday that the report will be “comprehensive” but denied that it was behind schedule.

“First of all, it's not delayed,” Mr Martin said. “The review has been undertaken in a very comprehensive way. There's no issue with it.

“I'm a bit bemused by the commentary, frankly. It should be allowed to get on with its work. [The] three members of the parliamentary party, they're doing a comprehensive job. They've been interviewing people, they've been engaging.

“I don't accept the concept of a delay. What's basically happening is they're getting on with their work. It'll be complete. It's important that it's done.

“I certainly am not as exercised about it as perhaps others might be.”

The Taoiseach was speaking at the Garda passing out ceremony at the Garda College in Templemore, Co Tipperary, with justice minister Jim O’Callaghan, who many see as the next leader of Fianna Fáíl, and local TD Ryan O’Meara.

When the Taoiseach was asked if he was worried about the “man standing beside you coming for your job”, Mr O’Callaghan quipped that it was “unfair to suggest that Taoiseach’s job has been sought by Deputy Ryan O'Meara”.

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He said: “I don't think that's a fair assessment. I do remember this time last year, we were out canvassing for the general election.

“We were all very concerned about winning our seats. Ryan won a seat in the election. I'm not saying the Taoiseach deserves all the credit for that election, but he deserves a lot of the credit for it.

“I think we need to have a broader perspective of issues.”

Mr Martin said Mr O’Callaghan is a “very, very effective minister for justice” who is doing a “first-class job”.