Taoiseach Micheál Martin has said he has absolute confidence in remaining as Fianna Fáil leader after receiving the review of his party’s presidential election campaign.
The review was established to consider the steps taken during the identification and selection process of Jim Gavin as Fianna Fáil’s presidential nomination, and examined the basis on which he was selected as a candidate.
Mr Martin said he received the report yesterday evening and that he will share the findings “promptly” with the parliamentary party.
He said he will first speak with the chairman of the parliamentary party and to the party whip this morning and that they will organise the timing of a meeting.
Speaking as he arrived at Government Buildings, Mr Martin said he is “much happier” that he has the report now, as he referred to “false assertions” made at the weekend around knowledge of who knew what when.
He added that he will be dealing with that later at the parliamentary party meeting.
He also reiterated his confidence in “absolutely ” remaining as party leader.
Billy Kelleher said he wants to examine the review ahead of any parliamentary party discussion
Earlier, Fianna Fáil MEP Billy Kelleher refused to express confidence in his party leader ahead of the expected release of the review.
Mr Kelleher lost out to Mr Gavin in the selection vote on 9 September by 41 votes to 29.
He said party members should be given the time to examine the review ahead of any parliamentary party meeting to discuss it.
Speaking on RTÉ’s Morning Ireland, Mr Kelleher said that if the review finds that there was information available to people ahead of the September vote and “they didn’t either act on it or relay it to the parliamentary party in advance of the vote, that is a serious breach of trust”.
Asked whether he has confidence in the party leader, Mr Kelleher said he thought it would be wrong of him to say if he has confidence “in anybody or not until such time as I see the report”.
He said he wants to find out what went right and what went wrong in the process to select Mr Gavin.
The fallout of Jim Gavin’s failed presidential election campaign has heaped pressure on Micheál Martin
The former Dublin GAA manager dropped out of the race in October after it was revealed that he had owed a former tenant more than €3,000 following an over payment of rent dating back to 2009.
Mr Kelleher said he will give the report the respect it deserves in terms of waiting for it to be published, but said that there have been rumours, and that people have been talking about the fact that “individuals may have known in advance of the vote” that Mr Gavin had failed to repay the tenant.
“I mean, I certainly am privy to some things, that you know I heard in advance of 9 September that parliamentary vote which you know causes me some disquiet around who knew what.”
Asked what he was referring to, Mr Kelleher said: “Well just in advance of whether or not people knew about Mr Gavin and the €3,300 with regard to the tenant, which ultimately was the issue that brought Mr Gavin out of the presidential election and if people knew that in advance.”
FF MEP Billy Kelleher refuses to express confidence in the party leader on @morningireland He says that if Micheál Martin knew about Jim Gavin’s tenant issues and did not inform the parliamentary party, that would amount to “a grievous breach of trust.”
— Mícheál Lehane (@MichealLehane) December 16, 2025
He said that going by what he has heard from discussions with colleagues, and what others have told him, there were certainly rumours circulating in advance of the parliamentary party meeting on 9 September, which in his view “should have certainly raised alarm bells”.
A number of TDs have questioned Mr Martin’s continued leadership of the party as a result of the debacle.
But some of those viewed as close to the party leader insist that the review will set the candidate selection and the subsequent campaign in context.
Yesterday, senior Fianna Fáil TDs Willie O’Dea, Seán Ó Fearghaíl and Pat ‘the Cope’ Gallagher said party members, particularly Oireachtas members, “deserve transparency and respect”.
In a statement, they said parliamentary party members must be given time to read the report in full, reflect on its conclusions and to “discuss its implications for the future of the party at a special Fianna Fáil Parliamentary Party meeting”.
“We need a frank and informed discussion,” they said.