Micheál Martin urged to back Bertie Ahern in wake of Jim Gavin's withdrawal from presidential election

In correspondence sent to Micheál Martin, released to the I'rish Examiner' under Freedom of Information, he was also urged to advise Jim Gavin to continue campaigning. Picture: Eamonn Farrell/RollingNews.ie

Taoiseach Micheál Martin was encouraged by a “lifelong Fianna Fáil supporter” to change his mind and run Bertie Ahern in the presidential election less than 10 hours after Jim Gavin stood down.

In correspondence sent to Mr Martin, released to the Irish Examiner under Freedom of Information, he was also urged to advise Mr Gavin to continue campaigning.

Mr Gavin dropped out of the presidential race in early October after it emerged that he had not told Fianna Fáil about a previous issue with a tenant. He failed to repay rent overpayments worth €3,300 to a tenant in 2008.

The announcement that Mr Gavin was withdrawing was contained in a press release from Fianna Fáil at 10.31pm on October 5.

By 11.16pm, members of the public had already started emailing Mr Martin’s office with suggestions on who Fianna Fáil could draft in to replace him.

One person’s email said they were “sorry” Mr Gavin had dropped out. They added: “If the party plans to run another candidate, might I suggest former ambassadors of Ireland Daniel Mulhall and Bobby McDonagh be considered.”

At 8.18am the following morning, not even 10 hours after Mr Gavin had stood down, one “lifelong Fianna Fáil supporter” asked Mr Martin to “please reconsider your previous stance” and urged him to “approach Mr Bertie Ahern as the party nomination for the role of president of Ireland”.

“Mr Ahern, who will now probably reject your nomination, has worked tirelessly for the party during his life,” they said.

I would accept that he has made a few mistakes along the way but let this not blind you to the tremendous work that he has completed, and in particular the peace that now prevails in this country.

“To not now nominate him would be a dreadful mistake both for the party and for our country.”

Several people told Mr Martin they regretted that Mr Gavin had decided to pull out of the race, with one correspondent noting that he “did the right thing standing back to protect himself and his family from further abuse”.

Another person suggested Mr Gavin could reconsider his decision to step away.

“A minor mistake should not have ‘cost’ him his candidature to the presidential race,” they said.

They said Mr Gavin “should have been advised to carry on” and argued that it was a “minor oversight”.

Others questioned why Mr Gavin was picked to run in the first place, with one person stating that they “never agreed with TV personalities running for the big jobs” and that they should be “let run for the county council elections first”.