The expected delay in the review into Fianna Fáil’s disastrous presidential election has been met with disappointment by some within the party.
Fianna Fáil’s candidate, former Dublin football manager Jim Gavin, withdrew from election campaigning in early October after revelations that he owed a former tenant €3,300 in overpaid rent. Mr Gavin subsequently paid the tenant back.
His name remained on the ballot paper and the Fianna Fáil candidate got just 7.2 per cent of the vote.
Mr Gavin was the preferred candidate of party leader and Taoiseach Micheál Martin.
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Critics in the party later accused the leadership of pressurising TDs and Senators to back Gavin over MEP Billy Kelleher, who went up against him in an internal contest to be the candidate.
Questions have been raised by some Fianna Fáil politicians publicly and privately about Mr Martin’s future as leader.
After Mr Gavin halted his campaign Mr Martin used a contribution at a parliamentary party meeting to apologise for how things had turned out and acknowledge the “hurt and shock” of Fianna Fáil members.
A week later on October 15th the parliamentary party agreed the terms of reference of a review of the presidential election. The review was tasked with considering the candidate identification and selection process and the presidential election campaign itself.
The review is chaired by barrister Ciarán O’Loughlin and its panel also includes TDs Eamon Scanlon and Tom Brabazon and Senator Margaret Murphy O’Mahony.
They were to report back by Wednesday November 12th but it appears this target date will be missed.
Fianna Fáil party whip, Minister of State Mary Butler, said over the weekend: “The independent review is ongoing and while the aim for publication was November 12th, the chairman and committee members must conduct an independent and fair process, which may take longer than originally planned.”
She said: “It is most important that this review remains independent, as agreed by the Parlimentary Party.”
Responding to the expected delay, Fianna Fáil TD John Lahart told The Irish Times: “It’s a busy week for Government with the latest housing plans and we have the [presidential] inauguration also.”
The Dublin South-West TD said: “the 12th of November was a commitment entered into and, while I’m very disappointed at this delay, I’d expect that every effort is being made by my party colleagues on the committee to avoid further delays. It’s on the minds of all members and membership.”
Galway West TD John Connolly also said he is “disappointed” at the delay and he thinks others are as well.
He told RTÉ Radio that after the election there was a sense in the party “that it would be in the best interests of everyone that this would be done in a thorough, transparent and timely manner and it’s unfortunate that the first deadline set down will be missed”.
He said a new deadlines should be set “Because I don’t think anybody is well served by this being dragged out.”
Minister of State Christopher O’Sullivan said on RTÉ’s The Week in Politics that there is “embarrassment” in Fianna Fáil party in relation to its presidential election bid and Mr Martin has acknowledged that “mistakes were made”.
Asked about the delay in the review Mr O’Sullivan said it is better that it is “detailed”. “We don’t want just a quick review that’s brushed under the carpet and we move on,” he said.
He also said he is supportive of Mr Martin saying he is “doing an incredible job as Taoiseach”.
Wicklow-Wexford TD Malcolm Byrne said: “I’m not obsessed by the reporting date [of the presidential election review] though it does need to be soon.
“The bigger issue is how we are breaking down the barriers to delivery on housing, infrastructure, childcare, disability services. Citizens are not obsessed by internal party plans but want to know how we are delivering on those issues. That is my priority.”
