Key Reads <\/p>\n
\u00d3rla Ryan – 10 minutes ago<\/p>\n
In advance of Fianna F\u00e1il\u2019s parliamentary party meeting on Wednesday evening, a party source said Oireachtas members expect \u201ca commitment to a full report on how the vetting process happened, who met Jim Gavin, what was asked, and what answers were provided\u201d. <\/p>\n
They added that this report should be delivered swiftly<\/a>, Cormac McQuinn <\/b>and Ellen Coyne <\/b>write.<\/p>\n Another source said a review could be perceived as the issue being \u201ckicked down the road\u201d and some in the party will want answers tonight.<\/p>\n \u00d3rla Ryan – 25 minutes ago<\/p>\n Housing Minister James Browne has told RT\u00c9 Radio 1\u2019s Morning Ireland that Miche\u00e1l Martin\u2019s leadership of Fianna F\u00e1il is \u201cabsolutely not\u201d under threat after Jim Gavin\u2019s failed election campaign. <\/p>\n The disastrous campaign – which saw Mr Gavin pulling out of the race on Sunday night after it emerged he owed a former tenant \u20ac3,300 – will be discussed at a Fianna F\u00e1il parliamentary party meeting at Leinster House this evening.<\/p>\n \u00d3rla Ryan – 45 minutes ago<\/p>\n What does Jim Gavin\u2019s decision to end his campaign mean for this presidential race \u2013 and future ones? <\/p>\n Analysts are debating what the typical Fianna F\u00e1il voter is likely to do and what this all means for the left-right political divide<\/a>, Paul Colgan<\/b> writes.<\/p>\n \u201cThis is good news for Catherine Connolly,\u201d said Eoin O\u2019Malley, associate professor in political science at Dublin City University, of the Independent TD and left-wing candidate, one of only two now running for the \u00c1ras.<\/p>\n \u201cIt is likely to further suppress the vote on the Government side. More Fianna F\u00e1il people are likely to stay at home, there will be fewer votes going around \u2013 and [that will] ultimately make it harder for Heather Humphreys to win.\u201d<\/p>\n Aidan Regan, professor of political economy at University College Dublin, agreed that Connolly has been boosted by Gavin\u2019s decision. He said the Fianna F\u00e1il vote could easily splinter in a number of ways.<\/p>\n Maria Steen has called for the presidential election to be cancelled and run again<\/a>, claiming its political legitimacy has been \u201cfurther undermined\u201d by Fianna F\u00e1il candidate Jim Gavin ending his campaign, Ellen Coyne<\/b> reports.<\/p>\n Ms Steen, a conservative campaigner who had tried to run as an Independent candidate, missed out on a place on the ballot paper after securing 18 of the required 20 signatures from TDs and Senators before the deadline for nominations.<\/p>\n \u201cDemocracy is supposed to mean that the people get to decide. The political legitimacy of the presidential election was already in doubt due to the closing of ranks by the major parties, which prevented any Independent candidate from making it as far as the ballot,\u201d Ms Steen said.<\/p>\n \u201cIt has now been further undermined by the dramatic implosion of the Fianna F\u00e1il-backed candidacy of Jim Gavin. As a result, the public is left with very little choice, and a large constituency feels totally unrepresented.\u201d<\/p>\n If you\u2019re looking to keep up to date with all the latest Budget 2026 developments, we have another live story here<\/a>. <\/p>\n If you have any questions about how the budget will affect you, our experts are answering your questions live<\/a>.<\/p>\n Several Fianna F\u00e1il members have made their feelings known about Jim Gavin\u2019s departure from the presidential race.<\/p>\n Backbencher TD James O\u2019Connor accused<\/a> Miche\u00e1l Martin and Minister for Public Expenditure Jack Chambers of \u201cthe most unceremonious dumping on a party candidate in modern Irish political history\u201d.<\/p>\n He said Mr Gavin \u201cshould never have found himself on the ballot paper\u201d.<\/p>\n Former minister \u00c9amon \u00d3 Cu\u00edv said it is \u201chighly unlikely<\/a>\u201d that Mr Martin will lead the party into the next general election.<\/p>\n Fianna F\u00e1il politicians will demand answers from Taoiseach Miche\u00e1l Martin on the implosion of Jim Gavin\u2019s presidential campaign during a tense showdown meeting on Wednesday evening<\/a>.<\/p>\n There is anger and disappointment within Fianna F\u00e1il that it no longer has a candidate in the race, about how Mr Gavin was selected and about a vetting process that did not uncover a dispute he had with a former tenant, Cormac McQuinn<\/b> and Ellen Coyne<\/b> write.<\/p>\n Former Dublin football manager Mr Gavin ended his presidential campaign on Sunday night amid the controversy over his time as a landlord in the late 2000s.<\/p>\n He was party leader Mr Martin\u2019s preferred choice to be Fianna F\u00e1il\u2019s candidate.<\/p>\n Good morning. <\/p>\n As we enter into another day of the presidential election campaign, here is a round-up of what you need to know this Wednesday: <\/p>\n\n