Paul Hosford: Blame for Fianna Fáil presidential election shambles laid squarely at feet of Micheál Martin
Independent candidate Catherine Connolly is congratulated by Taoiseach Micheál Martin after being named as the new president at Dublin Castle.
Fianna Fáilers knew it was coming. Of course they did.
After weeks of internal turmoil, they knew Saturday's election result could go no other way.
Perhaps there were some optimists who thought that with a fair wind, Jim Gavin's zombie campaign could somehow eek out enough votes from diehard Fianna Fáil supporters and protest voters to get the 12.5% of votes necessary for the party to claim back €250,000 in State funding. But realistically everyone knew that on Saturday the count would end up as it did.
Indeed, there is an argument Mr Gavin's 103,568, or 7.18% of the vote, was impressive given the circumstances. But there is a difference between knowing something is happening and seeing it actually transpire. For some in Fianna Fáil, just knowing Mr Gavin was out of the race was bad. Seeing it writ large by a returning officer was a different sensation altogether.
By Saturday afternoon, the displeasure was being made known. Members of the parliamentary party were wounded to see their party dragged so low. Comparisons with 2011, when the party did not contest the presidential election just months after a general election drubbing, were cast aside.
"This is different," said one TD. "We're supposed to be back".
One Fianna Fáil member said this was the “most embarrassing election for Fianna Fáil since 2011”.
“It’s brought a huge level of shame amongst the Fianna Fáil members and supporters,” they said.
It was clear throughout the day where the blame lay — at the feet of leader Micheál Martin.
“He might want to disassociate himself from the shambles, but he can’t,” one TD said. “He is at fault… You can’t just say sorry for a €500,000 mistake.”
Mr Martin was seen as being central to the selection of Mr Gavin ahead of party stalwart Billy Kelleher, and was widely blamed to the point his leadership of the party was questioned at a five-hour parliamentary party meeting in the days after Mr Gavin announced he was suspending his campaign.
In the weeks since, despite the party agreeing to a review into the debacle, that anger has not dissipated. In fact, among some of the Taoiseach's most staunch critics, it has festered, with the review seen as a can-kicking exercise.
On Saturday, while many grumbled about Mr Martin's style, a misstep or a communications breakdown or some variation thereof would turn those grumbles into howls.
What happened has been taken by some and slightly misinterpreted, but the basics are that around lunchtime on Saturday, the asked two spokespersons for the Taoiseach whether he would be attending the declaration at Dublin Castle. The response from both was unequivocally clear: no.
One said that he had planned to do RTÉ's from Nemo Rangers and would not make the count. The published this story, prompting furious texts from TDs and senators in the party, many of whom pointed out that in 2011, then-taoiseach Enda Kenny stood on stage in Dublin Castle to shake the hand of Michael D Higgins on his election as the Fine Gael candidate Gay Mitchell had suffered a trouncing.
Within an hour, Mr Martin was on his way to the capital, did an interview with RTÉ and was on stage to shake Catherine Connolly's hand on her election.
Speaking to journalists after, he would deny his change of plans was down to pressure or that the plans had changed at all.
“First of all, I thought the count was later and I was asked to do the news, and I thought I’d do it from Cork, but obviously the count was coming quicker. That’s all,” Mr Martin said.
Asked why his spokespeople had said he would not be in attendance, Mr Martin said: “Fair enough, but I’m here. I came and there was nobody who rang me about it.”
Mr Martin said it was “possibly” an issue of communication.
While that issue was settled, TDs began discussions on whether or not they would move against Mr Martin.
By Sunday evening, John McGuinness had called for new leadership, and some believed there were up to 10 of the 12 signatories needed to force a leadership contest ready to move, but that cohort seemed to back off quickly, instead allowing the review to be published.
The meeting held on the day after the budget was the first time Fianna Fáil TDs began to openly say they were discussing the future beyond their party leader for the last 14 years, but the reality of the weekend's results has opened that question up once again.
Mr Martin will not meet his parliamentary party this week due to the Dáil recess, and he may hope that in that period, anger has subsided. But he should not take it for granted that it will.
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