Taoiseach takes ‘full responsibility for devastating outcome’ of Gavin campaign

Micheal Martin has said he takes “full responsibility” for the “devastating” outcome of Jim Gavin’s abandoned presidential election campaign, but said he “doesn’t believe” there needs to be a confidence motion in his leadership.

Speaking on RTE radio’s Today With David McCullagh programme, the Taoiseach said Mr Gavin’s withdrawal from the presidential election was a “devastating outcome” for Fianna Fail, adding: “I’ve made it very clear I take full responsibility, I’m sorry for what happened.”

During the interview on Wednesday morning, he was asked if he would put down a motion of no confidence in his own leadership to settle disquiet in the party. He replied: “I don’t believe I need to, I don’t believe I need to at all.”

On Tuesday evening, party members received a long-awaited review examining the party’s selection process for the presidential election, which saw ex-Dublin football manager Jim Gavin emerge as the candidate.

The review was critical of Mr Martin’s handling of the process. He and deputy leader Jack Chambers had championed Mr Gavin, who withdrew from the contest three weeks before polling day after it emerged he owed 3,300 euros to a former tenant in overpaid rent.

The sum has since been repaid.

The report said that 150,000 euro had been spent on the presidential election as of November 11, and that the final costs could be as high as 400,000 euro.

Questioned as to why he told media he had “extensive engagement” with Mr Gavin prior to his nomination, when the report only mentioned one meeting, Mr Martin said he had also met him at an event chaired by Mr Gavin and had “done a lot of informal sounding-out of people who’d worked with him”.

Speaking about the timeline of when the information about Mr Gavin’s dispute with a former tenant was known by party leadership, Mr Martin said: “There was an attempt made to suggest that we withheld information from the parliamentary party before the selection.

“That’s reprehensible, it’s wrong, it’s inconceivable and it didn’t happen.”

He said that although the party used the same nominations process it had in 1997 and 1990, it was “not a good process”, there were issues with the “absence of a structured timeline” and “certain deadlines” should be set.

He also said Mr Gavin was chosen because he “came to the table with very significant strengths” and “we didn’t have other candidates that had a chance”.

He said Fianna Fail had “tested other candidates in polling terms who, quite frankly, weren’t at the level that would have been required”.

Mr Martin also defended his interactions with party MEP Billy Kelleher, who also sought the Fianna Fail nomination.

The Taoiseach said he believed from his contact with Mr Kelleher on August 14 that the MEP wanted Mr Martin himself to run for the presidency.

He added that he “got no indication from Billy that he wanted to be candidate” until August 27.

In a separate interview on Newstalk, Mr Martin said it was fair by his understanding to suggest that Mr Gavin raised his hand to be a candidate first – rather than being approached by the party.

He said the first contact on the matter was that an associate of Mr Gavin contacted party deputy leader Jack Chambers to say he might be interested in running.

Mr Martin said he had “made attempts” to contact Mr Gavin but had not spoken to him since he dropped out of contention.

“I think he probably wants time… and I can understand that too because it’s a very difficult, traumatic period for him,” Mr Martin said.