Will Jim Gavin controversy do lasting damage to Micheál Martin’s leadership of Fianna Fail?

It was Micheál Martin’s worst week in the job as leader of Fianna Fáil and it began on late on Sunday evening when the party’s campaign for the presidency imploded. Its candidate Jim Gavin resigned following media reports that, 16 years ago, a tenant had accidentally overpaid him by €3,300 and despite repeated requests, the former military man and presidential hopeful had refused to return it.

The failure to repay a debt – and a landlord’s debt at that – had caused a sensation when news of it was reported on Friday.

Gavin was Martin’s man – his “celebrity” non-party pick announced after a summer of speculation.

But from his first outing it was clear that he lacked the charisma and communication skills that are baseline requirements in any political campaign. And for a celebrity candidate he was remarkably unknown.

Many in Martin’s party were simply puzzled by his choice while also being angry at a process in which they felt sidelined.

Wednesday provided a new twist when the tenant outed himself on his popular crime podcast as Niall Donald, deputy editor of the Sunday World.

Then on Wednesday evening before a five-hour parliamentary party meeting, a shaken Martin apologised for the disaster which has left party members furious and embarrassed.

So how did Micheál Martin get here; how did he make this massive misstep in choosing Gavin and has he set the clock ticking on the end of his career leading Fianna Fáil.

Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by John Casey.

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