A fact-finding review by senior counsel into the party’s handling of the campaign, seen by BBC News NI, has found Fianna Fáil was asked twice through media queries about issues surrounding a former tenant.
The party was asked on Friday 5 September, and Monday 8 September, about an issue with a tenant by a journalist from the Irish Independent newspaper.
A backbench Dublin TD, John Lahart, also sent a text to deputy leader and Public Expenditure Minister Jack Chambers on 8 September referring to “a potential issue with a tenant who was a journalist and the return of a deposit”.
When those three queries were put to Mr Gavin, he said he was not aware or had no memory of such issues.
Mr Gavin went on to be selected as the party’s presidential candidate the very next day.
This detail in the review is likely to cause further fractions within the Fianna Fail backbenches, as some TDs were unhappy with how the candidate was backed by the leadership.
Mr Gavin received 41 votes and veteran MEP Billy Kelleher received 29 votes in a vote which was viewed as very close.
The Irish Independent published a story detailing the issue around rent which was mistakenly overpaid to Mr Gavin in 2009 on Saturday 4 October.
In the article, a statement from Fianna Fáil said Mr Gavin had no “recollection or any records” of any dispute with a tenant.