Gavin withdrawal from presidential race ‘right decision’ – Fianna Fail ministers

The withdrawal of Jim Gavin as a presidential candidate was the “right decision”, Fianna Fail ministers have said.

Fianna Fail ministers Jack Chambers, Darragh O’Brien and Norma Foley said that the development was a great disappointment for the party.

Mr Chambers, who is Fianna Fail’s deputy leader and director of elections for the presidency, said Taoiseach Micheal Martin had the full support of the party after putting Mr Gavin forward as a candidate for the party.

Mr Gavin, a retired army pilot and former Dublin Gaelic football manager, announced late on Sunday he was withdrawing from the race after having “made a mistake”.

It comes after the Irish Independent reported claims from a tenant who said he had failed to recover over 3,000 euro (£2,600) in overpaid rent from Mr Gavin 16 years ago.

Mr Chambers said a “clear contradiction” emerged over the weekend between what Mr Gavin had said about the issue initially and a former tenant who came forward with documentation.

He said a press query was submitted to the party on Thursday and was answered on Friday after engaging with Mr Gavin.

“At that time, he said he had no record or recollection of the particular issue that was set out in the article on Saturday,” Mr Chambers told RTE Radio on Monday.

“Subsequently, on Saturday, the tenant in question contacted the party and said that they did have records relating to this particular issue, and that was contrary to what the party had been told and what had been said on Friday, and it was clear that that was emerging as a very serious issue.

“That was put to Jim and obviously there was engagement with him, and then over the weekend it was clear that there was absolutely veracity to what the tenant had said.”

He said Mr Gavin then “retrieved partial records” which “confirmed that this was an issue”.

“It became clear over the weekend that there was a clear contradiction between what was said on Friday and obviously what emerged in terms of what the tenant had said.”

The Dubliner said on Sunday that he was in financial difficulty at the time and lost the property, also acknowledging the tenancy was not officially registered.

Mr Gavin, 54, told reporters hours before his resignation: “If it happened, I’m very sorry that it happened. I’m looking into it and I will deal with it with urgency.”

Through the party press office after 10pm, he announced: “Recent days have given me cause to reflect.

“I made a mistake that was not in keeping with my character and the standards I set myself.

“I am now taking steps to address the matter.

“I have also thought long and hard about the potential impact of the ongoing campaign on the wellbeing of my family and friends.

“Taking all these considerations on board, I have decided to withdraw from the presidential election contest with immediate effect and return to the arms of my family.”

Transport Minister Darragh O’Brien has said there needs to be an “urgent review” of his Fianna Fail party’s candidate selection process.

Mr O’Brien said he was “very disappointed”, but Mr Gavin made the “right decision” and that the tenant should be repaid.

“We did not foresee this situation, I think it’s the right decision that Jim has made. He held his hands up in relation to this issue. He is committed to rectifying it, the situation with the rent that needs to be returned to the tenant.”

Minister for Children Norma Foley said there was “enormous disappointment” within Fianna Fail and said her thoughts were with Mr Gavin and his family.

“If money is owed, it must be paid back, there is absolutely no question about that,” she said. “I’d be equally clear in saying I do think the right decision has been made.

“I think it was the correct thing to do at this point, to withdraw, to stand aside, notwithstanding that that is really difficult for Fianna Fail membership given that we don’t now have a candidate contesting the presidential election.”

Taoiseach and Fianna Fail leader Mr Martin, who had some pushback within the party for driving Mr Gavin’s candidacy, said his decision to end the campaign was the “correct one”.

The bombshell exit from the race now puts question marks over Mr Martin’s decision making, after the party’s nomination process brought disquiet and criticism among backbenchers.

Asked about Mr Martin’s leadership, Mr Chambers said he would “absolutely” continue to lead the Fianna Fail party until the transfer of power to Fine Gael as part of the coalition government deal struck in January.

“I think there’s still, and will continue to be, significant and unanimous support for Micheal Martin as leader of our party and as Taoiseach of the country, his continued contribution to national politics as well.

“Obviously, we’ll have a broader discussion and reflection on what has emerged. But we had a democratic process and obviously what has emerged in the last 48 hours is devastating for everyone involved.”

Mr O’Brien said there was “great disappointment” within the party in the wake of Mr Gavin’s withdrawal but expressed support for Mr Martin.

He said: “I think he enjoys the full support of the parliamentary party. He is a politician of great substance, not just domestically, but on the international stage. We’re lucky to have him.”

Mr Gavin, who had support from Mr Martin, Mr Chambers and other senior figures, secured the party’s nomination after a contest against MEP and former junior minister Billy Kelleher.

Reacting to Mr Gavin’s withdrawal, Mr Kelleher said the party “didn’t do our due diligence” in choosing Mr Gavin as a candidate and that he raised concerns about the process being “quite a chaotic scene” in August.

He added: “This is a shell shock obviously to the presidential election campaign itself, and the Fianna Fail party as well, from the point of view that we don’t have a candidate in the race. So all in all, it is deeply, deeply, deeply upsetting.

“We clearly didn’t do our due diligence, didn’t do enough of an interrogation and that was the issue I raised at the outset.”

Asked if Mr Martin’s leadership was badly damaged, Mr Kelleher said: “I think what we really have to do initially is just to assess the process, how it went so horribly wrong, so quickly.”

He added: “Obviously, an awful lot of people are very upset over this. I mean, we have Fianna Fail members right across the entire country, Fianna Fail voters that have nobody to vote for or campaign for in this particular election, and that does have consequences from a party perspective.

“We can’t have a situation where this is just swept under the carpet and we all move on.

“It’s a very serious miscalculation. It has caused an awful lot of trauma, both to individuals, in terms of Jim Gavin and his family, and more broadly then to the Fianna Fail parliamentary party, and the integrity of how we actually assess candidates.”

Also reacting to the development, left-wing independent candidate Catherine Connolly said: “Anyone who seeks to make Ireland a better place through public service should be commended.

“Jim Gavin has made the right decision for himself and his family. I wish him well.”

Speaking in Belfast, Fine Gael candidate Heather Humphreys said Mr Gavin had given “a huge amount of service” to the public and the GAA and wished him and his family well.

Asked if she would look to secure the support of Fianna Fail, she said: “It’s very early today after that announcement last night, I have many Fianna Fail friends, I really have, and this is a difficult day for them.

“I will want votes from everybody because if I don’t get enough number one votes, I won’t get elected.

“I need as many votes as I can get to be elected president of Ireland.”

Asked if she would meet with Mr Martin about it, she said it was a busy week but that she wanted votes “right across the board”.

Mr Gavin’s decision to drop out came after a Sunday Independent/Ireland Thinks poll put him in last place on 15%, behind Ms Connolly (32%) and Ms Humphreys (23%).

Mr Gavin will remain on the ballot paper.

People Before Profit TD Paul Murphy, who is backing Ms Connolly along with a range of independents, Sinn Fein, the Social Democrats and Labour, said the withdrawal of Mr Gavin “clarifies the nature of this campaign”.

In a statement, he said: “It is now a straight choice between a Fine Gael former minister, Heather Humphreys and a leading independent opposition TD, Catherine Connolly.”