'Micheál knew about the Jim Gavin rumours': Fianna Fáil row over presidential election review deepens

In a scathing statement, Micheál Martin disputed “commentary of the past week”, which he described as “extremely disappointing, selective and inaccurate”.

Mr Gavin withrew from the election in October after failing to inform the party about a previous dispute with a tenant. He had failed to repay the tenant rent overpayments worth €3,300 in 2008.

Fianna Fáil TDs have accused party leader Micheál Martin of being 'rattled' as the row over the party's presidential election review deepens.

In a scathing statement on Monday evening, the Taoiseach disputed “commentary of the past week”, which he described as “extremely disappointing, selective and inaccurate”.

He said he had not received the report on Monday evening but gave no commitment to publishing it this week.

The review, which was initially expected to be completed by mid-November, will examine the party’s presidential election campaign and the decision to select former Dublin GAA boss Jim Gavin as its candidate.

Mr Gavin withdrew from the election in October after failing to inform the party about a previous dispute with a tenant. He had failed to repay the tenant rent overpayments worth €3,300 in 2008.

The Irish Examiner understands that the review committee was due to meet either on Monday night or Tuesday morning to sign off on the review, before providing a copy to the Taoiseach.

It is also understood that a meeting is scheduled to take place in Fianna Fáil HQ on Tuesday. 

However, the party’s staff Christmas party will take place on Tuesday evening in a Dublin pub, which is likely to prevent a parliamentary party meeting from taking place.

In a statement on Monday, the Taoiseach hit back at ongoing commentary about the report.

“The party wants to be absolutely clear that the party leader has not yet received the report,” the statement said.

“The leader has been keen to allow the review committee to do its work independently.

“The commentary of the past week has been extremely disappointing, selective, and inaccurate.

The leader takes exception, in particular, to some of what has been written over the weekend, which has been based on false assertions.

“A meeting of the Fianna Fail parliamentary party will of course, be convened to discuss the full report, including its findings and recommendations for the future, when it has been received.”

'Micheál knew'

Fianna Fáil politicians were shocked by the tone of Mr Martin's statement last night, suggesting that the Taoiseach was "rattled".

One TD suggested the Taoiseach's position was "untenable" because "Micheál knew about the Jim Gavin rumours" and "failed to disclose it to the PP (parliamentary party) prior to the presidential vote", or during "another five-and-a-half hour meeting".

Another TD suggested that the Taoiseach was failing to deal with the pressure being put on him by the review.

When asked if they thought the review would be given to the party this week, one TD replied: "Not a snowballs chance in hell".

As first reported by the Irish Examiner, Fianna Fáil deputy leader Jack Chambers was contacted by a parliamentary party member on September 8, the day before Mr Gavin was selected as a candidate, pointing out there may be an issue with a tenant.

This newspaper has received no correspondence from Fianna Fáil or Mr Chambers’ office disputing this article.

Ahead of the review’s publication, there is fear amongst some TDs that the party may attempt to “muddle” aspects of it.

Several sources suggested that they believe the party will argue that while senior people in Fianna Fáil were made aware of a potential issue with Mr Gavin and a tenant, the actual rent overpayment issue did not come to light until days before he pulled out of the race.

Another TD stated that they believed Fianna Fáil HQ would attempt to state that “due diligence” was done on the information that was received at the time.

Pressure was continuing to mount on the Taoiseach to publish the report on Monday evening,  with three longstanding party grandees calling for it to be provided “immediately” so that it could be read in advance of any party meeting.

Willie O’Dea, Seán O’Fearghaíl, the former Ceann Comhairle, and Pat ‘The Cope’ Gallagher said in a statement that party members “deserve transparency and respect”.

The three men said that “continued leaking from the report is damaging Fianna Fáil’s reputation” and “points to a lack of candour within Fianna Fáil”.

They added: “This lack of candour contributed to the current debacle and seriously weakened confidence in our internal decision-making.

“Accountability is now essential if we are to restore trust and credibility.”

The review, which runs to just under 30 pages, will also show how the Taoiseach’s chief of staff, Deirdre Gillane, was told on September 5 that an issue may exist with a former tenant.

A spokesperson for Fianna Fáil described the “telephone call on September 5” as “speculative and non-specific in nature”.

The Irish Examiner was told by some members of the party that there was speculation that the Taoiseach had "cleared his diary" for Tuesday afternoon. However, a party spokesperson said that it would "never discuss the Taoiseach's diary".

When asked if there would be a parliamentary party meeting on Tuesday, the spokesperson said: "We don't facilitate the PP meetings."