FF leader wounded, but not fatally, by broadcaster's withdrawal

ANALYSIS:MICHEÁL MARTIN’S leadership of Fianna Fáil is damaged, although by no means fatally, following veteran broadcaster Gay Byrne’s rejection of his offer that party Oireachtas members could facilitate the former Late Late Showhost’s nomination as an Independent.

When Martin phoned Byrne with the suggestion, he leapfrogged his own parliamentary party in a number of important respects. And without wide consultation, he appeared to effectively decide on behalf of what is left of the Fianna Fáil grassroots that the party would not be running an internal candidate, and selected Byrne as the person they should get behind.

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