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.

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.

Tallies in Galway West, meanwhile, indicated Fianna Fáil candidate Cillian Keane was on course to receive 8.9%.

Speaking at the RDS, Mr O’Brien, who served as Fianna Fáil’s director of elections in Dublin Central, acknowledged it would not be a positive day for the party.

“We're not going to be complacent about this, and we're not obviously going to sugarcoat this either,” Mr O’Brien said.

“We're obviously disappointed with the result. That's nothing down to the work that Councillor Stephens and the team have done here. There is obviously a very fragmented vote there as well, a lot of big names too that were there.

“In relation to Galway West, we’re seeing just the completion of the first tally there too. A very good young first-time councillor in Councillor Cillian Keane.

“He has got a vote that he can be proud of there, and that's obviously going to be a very tight race too. Sean Kyne is obviously benefiting as well from someone who served in the Dáil since 2011 and as a minister and served in the Seanad, a very good vote for him. But it looks like it's going to be particularly tight in that constituency too.

“We’ll obviously assess both the results. We'll redouble our efforts and continue to work on the ground right away across this city and county of Dublin, and right the way across the country.”

Leadership questions dismissed 

Mr O’Brien said Dublin Central has historically been a difficult constituency for Fianna Fáil and noted the party has not held a seat there since former Taoiseach Bertie Ahern retired in 2007.

However, he dismissed suggestions that Mr Martin’s leadership was in jeopardy following the by-election results.

“There isn't a week that passes whereby someone doesn't ask me that question,” he said.

“I’ve been asked that question since 2020 actually, since after the 2020 general election. I was asked would Micheál lead us into the next general election, said he would. He did.

“Not only did he do that, he came back and he returned as Taoiseach with the largest party in Dáil Éireann.

“Our focus, though, has got to be in working for our people, is working through a very difficult time for our people now, with the cost of living, with the global situation as well. It's now that we need the leadership that Micheál Martin displays more than ever.” 

When asked whether he would like to become Fianna Fáil leader in the future, Mr O’Brien said he “doesn’t deal with hypotheticals”.

Stephens responds to controversy

Mr Ahern attracted attention during the campaign after he was recorded while canvassing saying he was concerned about the number of immigrants coming to Ireland, including references to “Africans” and people from “the Congo”.

However, Mr Stephens, a long-time ally of Mr Ahern, denied the remarks negatively affected his campaign.

“This campaign was about the wind was against me as regards standing for election. That was the main reason why I didn't win,” he said.

“My team were very good, the people I met on the doors, and I have to thank everybody that voted for me, that was very important to me.

“But you’ve got to remember one thing, I lost half of my electoral area, my LEA (local electoral area). I went in without any councillors, and I'd love to have the same conversation with ye in three years time. It will be totally different.

“I'm here for the long haul, and I know I know what it will take. It will take hard work, grit, but I'm prepared to do that.”

Mr O’Brien also referenced the Dublin Bay South by-election in 2021, when Fianna Fáil candidate Deirdre Conroy received 4.7% of the vote.

He noted that the party later secured a seat in the subsequent general election, although it already had a sitting TD in the constituency, Jim O'Callaghan.