Minister for Transport Darragh O’Brien has said that no concerns were flagged to him about Jim Gavin’s issue with a tenant before the former Dublin football manager was ratified as Fianna Fáil presidential candidate in September.
Asked about reports that some senior parliamentary party members of Fianna Fáil were aware there was an issue with a tenant before the party voted on nominations, Mr O’Brien said all he has read so far is speculation.
The review into the party’s disastrous presidential election is expected to be discussed by the party’s TDs and Senators during a special meeting next week.
Earlier this week, Taoiseach Micheál Martin said publicly the document would be ready before Christmas.
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However, speaking to reporters in Cork on Friday, Mr Martin did not confirm this deadline. He said Mr Gavin’s solicitors had requested the report before publication and “it was handed to him to have approval, which is fair”.
It is understood Fianna Fáil TD Erin McGreehan asked Mr Martin about the review at a private meeting of the parliamentary party meeting on Wednesday.
According to party sources, Mr Martin confirmed the review will go before the party next week. The sources said he indicated there would be a dedicated meeting to discuss it, but he did not specify a day.
Mr O’Brien was asked about a report in The Irish Examiner that stated a member of the Fianna Fáil parliamentary party informed deputy leader Jack Chambers about a possible issue between Gavin and a former tenant hours before he was chosen as the party’s presidential election candidate.
For his part, Mr O’Brien said he would await the outcome of the party’s internal review into all the circumstances surrounding Mr Gavin’s candidacy before making comment.
He was speaking to media on Friday in DCU at the launch of a contract for a new BusConnects corridor,
“I haven’t seen the final report, and I’m going to wait till I assess that and discuss it with colleagues,” he said.
“I’m not going to respond to matters that are speculative in this regard.
“We take the review of the presidential election very seriously. It’s important that we get an opportunity as colleagues to discuss the findings of that and, more importantly, to learn from it.”
Asked did anybody flag concerns to him around Jim Gavin, Mr O’Brien said: “Nothing was flagged with me.”
The review is chaired by senior barrister Ciarán O’Loughlin. Its panel includes TDs Tom Brabazon and Eamon Scanlon and Senator Margaret Murphy O’Mahony.
Mr Gavin withdrew from the race for the Áras after it emerged 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 received 7.2 per cent of the vote on polling day, notwithstanding the fact he had withdrawn.
Mr Gavin was Mr Martin’s preferred candidate since his name was first mentioned in late August.
A number of Fianna Fáil TDs and senators have been critical of the judgment of the Taoiseach, and those closest to him in the party’s leadership structure, in choosing Mr Gavin, who had no experience in political campaigns.
