Micheál Martin survives Jim Gavin scandal but Jim O'Callaghan lies in wait

Mon, 13 Oct, 2025 - 20:30

James Cox

Here, we have a look at the topics likely to dominate political discourse in the week to come.

Fianna Fáil reeling from presidential fiasco

Jim Gavin's decision to suspend his presidential campaign has led to much anger and soul-searching within Fianna Fáil, and it will pile pressure on Taoiseach Micheál Martin.

There was huge speculation about a heave against Mr Martin, with all eyes turning to the first Fianna Fáil parliamentary party meeting since Mr Gavin dropped out of the race following after a tenant claimed he tried to recover €3,300 in overpaid rent from Mr Gavin 16 years ago.

According to sources, Mr Martin appeared nervous as he addressed the meeting and told party colleagues he was "deeply sorry".

He said: “Clearly we need to have a new procedure for deciding when we run a candidate for president and who that candidate is to be.

“I for one support the idea that we move to a process which is in tune with the wider reforms which we have introduced in the past.

“Tonight, we think of Jim Gavin and his family, who have gone through a very traumatic time.

“Jim Gavin has made a very significant contribution to our country as UN peacekeeper, public servant and in his impactful work in the North East inner city of Dublin, where he is hugely respected. This needs to be said.”

While the Taoiseach appears to be out of trouble for now, there is still discontent within the party.

There have been numerous calls for a review into the selection process, including from MEP Billy Kelleher who sought the nomination but lost out to Mr Gavin, who was heavily backed by Mr Martin.

Many backbenchers are still understood to be angry at Mr Martin.

While he has insisted he will lead the party into the next general election, Mr Martin may well face opposition.

Some have tipped his appointed deputy leader, Minister for Public Expenditure Jack Chambers, as a future Fianna Fáil leader.

However, Minister for Justice Jim O'Callaghan may be the main rival to Mr Martin.

Speaking at a press conference after the Budget, Mr O'Callaghan said he was not seeking the leadership... for now.

"Yeah, I would have thought so at some stage in the future, but it’s not an immediate concern for me."

Mr O'Callaghan is widely seen as an ambitious politician who aims to be party leader.

While he was appointed to Cabinet after the last election, eyebrows were raised when he was not previously given a senior role, with rumours that he did not see eye to eye with Mr Martin on many issues.

He was one of the later Fianna Fáil senior figures to endorse Mr Gavin for the presidential election.

Connolly accuses Fine Gael of ‘engendering fear’ against her

Fine Gael is engaging in a campaign that is “engendering fear”, presidential candidate Catherine Connolly has said.

Ms Connolly is running against Fine Gael candidate Heather Humphreys in a race to become the next president, with voting to be held on October 24th.

On Monday, the Independent Galway TD accused her opponent’s political party of running a “negative campaign” about her foreign policy positions on the US, Nato, the Middle East and Russia.

She said: “What’s happening here in the last few weeks is a policy of fear, of diminishing the candidate.

“And I say you’re actually not just diminishing me, you’re diminishing the role of the presidency, and you’re also diminishing the people on the ground who are all actively canvassing for me, actively looking for hope.”

Tánaiste says ‘genocide in Gaza cannot be forgotten’

The “horrors, genocide and famine in Gaza” cannot be “forgotten”, the Tánaiste has said, as he welcomed the release of hostages in the Middle East.

Simon Harris said the freeing of prisoners and hostages by Israel and Hamas “represents a ray of hope” for people in the region, as he announced Ireland would provide an additional €6 million to aid organisations in Gaza, including Unicef and the World Food Programme.

“After the most horrific humanitarian catastrophe, a loss of life on a scale that is almost unimaginable – we finally see cause for hope: Hostages released, bombing stopped, aid beginning to flow into Gaza,” Mr Harris said.

He added: “I also today think of all of the hostages that have been released. I cannot imagine what they have endured for the last period of time, cannot imagine the fears and worries that their families have lived with – and today, their loved ones are reunited in the arms of their families and we think of them today too.”