Wrong to link Ivan Yates ‘smear’ comments with training Jim Gavin – Taoiseach

Comments made by political commentator Ivan Yates that Fine Gael should run a smear campaign should not be linked with his training of Fianna Fail candidate Jim Gavin, the Taoiseach has said.

The two coalition partners are dealing with revelations that Mr Yates, a former Fine Gael minister and ex-broadcaster, provided around four hours of media training to Mr Gavin during the presidential election.

Fianna Fail said this took place from September 23-29 and focused on preparing for interviews on two programmes.

Newstalk said a review is under way after Mr Yates presented a programme on its airwaves on three dates during the presidential election campaign and did not inform it of “any conflict of interest”.

The media regulator said it had contacted Newstalk and RTE about the issue.

Tanaiste and Fine Gael minister Simon Harris said that it was “frustrating” that its presidential candidate Heather Humphreys had to answer repeated questions about whether she was running a smear campaign against left-wing independent Catherine Connolly based on comments made by Mr Yates.

Mr Yates had said on Newstalk’s Calling It podcast published on October 9 that Fine Gael should respond to opinion polls putting Ms Connolly ahead by attempting to “smear the bejaysus” out of her.

Speaking on his way into Cabinet on Tuesday, Mr Harris said he did not want to comment on internal Fianna Fail matters.

He then said: “If you want my very honest answer, it’s frustrating to me that many of you in the media went through a presidential election campaign asking the Fine Gael candidate time and time again about comments that Ivan Yates apparently gave to Fine Gael when it’s now quite clear, not only was he not advising Fine Gael, he was being paid for by another party.

“It’s interesting all these bits of information came into the public domain after the election campaign.”

He added: “I think there’s also legitimate issues around transparency in media that I think broadcasters and the regulator in Coimisiun na Mean should consider as well.

“It’s interesting that some organisations have decided to keep their analysis just to the period of the presidential election.

“I think it’s now very clear that the issue goes beyond the presidential election, but that’s a matter for others.”

Taoiseach and Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin said he believed there had been “a lack of balance, candidly, and perspective” on the issue.

He said: “All political parties use media training from time to time, Fianna Fail is no different to any other political party in that respect.

“Indeed, Ivan Yates had worked for the party in the European elections and in the general election, it would have been on public record in Sipo, would have been as far back as last August in respect of the Europeans and in January in terms of the general, so no secret there.

“I would take issue with some attempts to conflate the fact that he worked four hours with Jim Gavin and subsequent remarks he made in respect of the presidential that had nothing to do with Fianna Fail or nothing to do with us, we wouldn’t approve of, or wouldn’t agree with.

“But there’s been an attempt to conflate the two which I think is not accurate and is wrong.

“The intersection between politics, media, polling companies, pundits, commentators, is a very fluid one, an interesting one, and I don’t think it’s just about one individual.

“I think people should declare a conflict of interest but it’s a matter that everybody in (politics) and in media should reflect on.”

Minister James Lawless said that he and other Fianna Fail TDs attended a training session provided by Mr Yates in 2021.

“It’s actually not news,” he said on his way into Cabinet, adding that The Mail had reported on it previously.

“I’m somewhat surprised that everyone is so surprised, considering that it’s been out in the media for several years.”

He said it was “quite common” for those providing media training to work or have worked in the media.

Mr Yates is a former bookmaker, ex-Fine Gael minister and broadcaster who was a co-host of the Path To Power political podcast.

He is no longer to co-host the podcast in the wake of the revelations of his involvement with Mr Gavin’s campaign.

His podcast co-host Matt Cooper said on Monday: “I came to a decision that it wasn’t appropriate for the listeners not to know about what work he had done from Jim Gavin when he was providing commentary on Jim Gavin.”

Coimisiun na Mean said it “has been in contact with both Newstalk and RTE today to obtain further information about this matter”.

RTE said Mr Yates was not a guest on any of its television or radio programmes during the election periods for the general, local or European elections last year.

He did appear on RTE on three occasions outside of the Coimisiun na Mean election rules periods, but “did not disclose his association with Fianna Fail to RTE at any time”.

The Coimisiun na Mean Election rules for broadcasters applied from May 7 to June 7 last year for the local elections, and from November 11 to 29 last year for the general election.

RTE said Mr Yates appeared on the election results programme on June 10 2024, as a panellist on November 4 2024 along with former taoiseach Bertie Ahern and Sinn Fein MEP Kathleen Funchion, and on a general election results programme on November 30.