Darragh O’Brien says Fianna Fáil by-election results cannot be ‘sugarcoated’

Fianna Fáil faces disappointing by-election performances, but party figures insist leadership questions are not arising

Ahead of the first official count in Dublin Central, tallies suggested Fianna Fáil candidate John Stephens was set to receive about 4.2% of first-preference votes. Picture: Leah Farrell/© RollingNews.ie

Darragh O'Brien has said Fianna Fáil’s poor performances in the Dublin Central and Galway West by-elections cannot be “sugarcoated”.

However, the minister rejected suggestions that Taoiseach Micheál Martin’s leadership of the party was under threat.