Cork MEP Billy Kelleher says he would have won presidency as Fianna Fáil candidate

Cork MEP reflects on Fianna Fáil’s presidential election collapse, leadership fallout and growing fears for politicians’ personal safety

Billy Kelleher said the “damage was done” after Jim Gavin’s withdrawal. Picture: Niall Carson/PA Wire

Cork MEP Billy Kelleher has said he would have won the 2025 presidential election had he been selected as Fianna Fáil’s candidate.

In a wide-ranging interview with the Irish Examiner, Mr Kelleher said the presidential election descended into a “one-horse race” towards the end, after Jim Gavin’s campaign imploded and Heather Humphreys was unable to catch up to Catherine Connolly.

Asked if he would have won the election, Mr Kelleher said: “Yes, I believe I would have.” 

The Fianna Fáil MEP said Ireland is a “modern, dynamic country” with a young population, and he could have connected “well beyond traditional Fianna Fáil voters”.

Mr Kelleher said the “damage was done” after Mr Gavin’s withdrawal, saying the former candidate was not able to withstand scrutiny and interrogation.

The party’s disastrous presidential election sent shockwaves through Fianna Fáil, with the fallout leaving Taoiseach Micheál Martin badly damaged.

There was widespread anger among backbenchers over the debacle, with the question of the future of Mr Martin’s leadership emerging for the first time in several years.

Some backbench rebels did discuss the possibility of a heave against the Taoiseach, but this appears to have been quelled after the publication of the party’s report on the presidential election and a marathon parliamentary party meeting earlier this month.

The review itself found Mr Martin met with Mr Gavin and informed him he could not continue to back his candidacy, after revelations about €3,300 worth of overpaid rent owed to a former tenant.

Asked if Mr Martin should lead Fianna Fáil into the next general election, Mr Kelleher would only say that his position is that the party leader of the day “knows best”.

The fomer Cork North Central TD highlighted an increase in violence and threats against politicians, both online and in public, which is discouraging people from running for public office.

“That’s deeply worrying, and we’ve had some very high-profile cases of gross intimidation and threats of female politicians and across the water, we’ve had politicians killed.” 

Asked if he was worried Ireland might see a Jo Cox or David Amess moment, where a politician is murdered, Mr Kelleher said it was a concern.

British Labour MP Jo Cox was killed by a white supremacist in June 2016 at her constituency office, a week before the Brexit referendum. Conservative MP David Amess was killed by a British sympathiser of Islamic State at his contituency office in October 2021.

“That’s the fear of many of my colleagues, holding clinics on their own in community halls or in rooms around their constituency," Mr Kelleher said.