{"id":193966,"date":"2025-12-16T02:44:07","date_gmt":"2025-12-16T02:44:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/193966\/"},"modified":"2025-12-16T02:44:07","modified_gmt":"2025-12-16T02:44:07","slug":"ff-presidential-review-to-be-submitted-to-martin-tonight","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/193966\/","title":{"rendered":"FF presidential review to be submitted to Martin tonight"},"content":{"rendered":"

The review of Fianna F\u00e1il’s presidential election campaign is expected to be submitted to the party leader tonight.<\/p>\n

It comes amid calls from various party TDs for the publication of the review.<\/p>\n

Last week, party leader Miche\u00e1l Martin said the report into the party’s presidential campaign will be published “before Christmas”.<\/p>\n

The Taoiseach will share the report with members of his party after he receives it and will set a date for a meeting to discuss it.<\/p>\n

Earlier, Mr Martin hit out at commentary on the review of his party’s botched presidential election campaign.<\/p>\n

In a statement earlier this evening, he said that he wanted to make it “absolutely clear” that he had not yet received the report.<\/p>\n

“The commentary of the past week has been extremely disappointing, selective and inaccurate.<\/p>\n

“The leader takes exception, in particular, to some of what has been written over the weekend which has been based on false assertions.<\/p>\n

“A meeting of the Fianna F\u00e1il parliamentary party will of course be convened to discuss the full report, including its findings and recommendations for the future, when it has been received,” Mr Martin said.<\/p>\n

Senior Fianna F\u00e1il TDs Willie O’Dea, Se\u00e1n \u00d3 Feargha\u00edl and Pat ‘the Cope’ Gallagher said party members, particularly Oireachtas members, “deserve transparency and respect”.<\/p>\n

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 F\u00e1il Parliamentary Party meeting”.<\/p>\n

“We need a frank and informed discussion,” they said.<\/p>\n

The review was established to consider the steps taken during the identification and selection process of Jim Gavin as Fianna F\u00e1il’s presidential nomination, and examines the basis on which he was selected as a candidate.<\/p>\n

Willie O’Dea calls for report into Fianna F\u00e1il\u2019s botched presidential election campaign to be shared with party members. pic.twitter.com\/67sU1keP5Q<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Petula Martyn (@petulamartyn) December 15, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n

Mr O’Dea said the party report should be released as rumours about it are “diverting the party and the Government from concentrating on the real problems facing the country”.<\/p>\n

He said they want it “out there before Christmas so it won’t be hanging out over the Christmas period and into the New Year and so the Government can get back to what it’s supposed to be doing”.<\/p>\n

The senior party TDs said the continued leaking of material from the report is “damaging Fianna F\u00e1il’s reputation”, adding that the leaks have undermined trust across the party and are “unacceptable”.<\/p>\n

“The leaks point to a lack of candour within Fianna F\u00e1il. This lack of candour contributed to the current debacle and seriously weakened confidence in our internal decision-making.<\/p>\n

“Accountability is now essential if we are to restore trust and credibility.”<\/p>\n

The TDs said the controversy must not be allowed to overshadow the “historic milestone that is Fianna F\u00e1il’s centenary”.<\/p>\n

“The public expects better from us. We insist that the full report be published now, without any delay.<\/p>\n

“Then the facts can be faced squarely, and responsibility accepted.<\/p>\n

“Then Fianna F\u00e1il move forward with unity, and purpose and commence its second century of service to the Irish people.”<\/p>\n

Change needed in Fianna F\u00e1il leadership, TD says<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, Fianna F\u00e1il TD John McGuinness has said there is a sense in the parliamentary party that a change of leadership is needed.<\/p>\n

“I believe there is now a growing number of people that feel change is needed,” he said.<\/p>\n

Mr McGuinness said the change has to take place within the first quarter of next year, adding that change was also needed in Fianna F\u00e1il headquarters.<\/p>\n

He said the mismanagement of the party’s presidential campaign was not just down to the leader but also the leadership team.<\/p>\n

“Suggesting that it was an individual’s fault or trying to throw the likes of Jack Chambers under the bus is not acceptable,” he said.<\/p>\n

The Fianna F\u00e1il TD added the only way to deal with the presidential campaign report situation was to “come clean”, publish the report and have the meeting that was promised.<\/p>\n

“Which was a separate meeting from our normal parliamentary party meeting with plenty of time to discuss the report, so that we can come to some conclusion on the matter.<\/p>\n

“So far, what we have had is a very haphazard approach to the report, and now we’re having a trip feed into the media as to what is in the report or what is not in the report.”<\/p>\n

He said that he wanted the meeting to take place “as soon as possible” before Christmas.<\/p>\n

Mr McGuinness added that he wanted ample time to discuss it without intervention from votes from the D\u00e1il.<\/p>\n

“We need to have the matter cleared up one way or the other before we go into another year.”<\/p>\n