THERE WILL BE fury in the Fianna Fáil party if the internal report into the election campaign is delayed, according to TDs in the party.

It was set out last month that the party would carry out a review into its chaotic presidential campaign following the shock departure of candidate Jim Gavin.

The former Dublin Gaelic football manager exited the race after it emerged he had owed a former tenant €3,300 since 2009. He later paid it back, but after his shock exit caused a wave of embarrassment through the Fianna Fáil party. 

As the pressure mounted on the party leader, Micheál Martin agreed to an external legal expert and three parliamentary party members, Tom Brabazon, Eamon Scanlon, Margaret Murphy O’Connor, to conduct a review into what went wrong and to report back by 12 November, this coming Wednesday. 

The fallout from the election continues to feature in discussions among the party, with those The Journal spoke to stating they have concerns the report will be pushed out closer to Christmas. 

They said it was promised the report would be ready quickly, stating that any delay could cause internal party friction.

Party members also said the report should be unfiltered and ready for publication on Wednesday, without any unnecessary delays. 

Speaking in Brazil yesterday, where the Taoiseach is attending COP30, Martin said he is confident the review will be completed next week, stating “that’s on track as far as I can see”.

“I mean, we’re going to deal with this, and be quite calm about it… no big deal.

“I find it quite extraordinary that we’re into this minutiae right now. I’m focused on COP, all the arrangements have been made and that’s a matter for us in the party,” Martin stated, according to Breakingnews.ie.

‘Isn’t a hope in hell it will be ready’

However, one TD said they have been reliably informed that there “isn’t a hope in hell that this will be ready for next Wednesday”.

They said they didn’t believe the Taoiseach, who is to the core of this review, had been interviewed yet, adding that another person who has been interviewed has to be interviewed again for some unknown reason.

It is understood the three TDs carrying out the review met on multiple occasions this week, including during this week’s parliamentary party meeting, when they were not in attendance.

“So there’s a lot of meetings happening, but as far as I can gather it didn’t get off the ground and up and running until quite recently,” said this TD. 

Some within the party said delaying the review and pushing it out until Christmas would suit some people, namely the party leadership, but those pursuing the issue were described as “dogged and relentless”.

“It ain’t going away. If it’s delayed, there will be a row and if it’s produced, it will be gone through with a fine tooth comb,” said one TD.

‘If it’s delayed there will be a row’

“I’d say there’s not a hope in hell we’re going to see it on Wednesday,” they added. 

Another TD spoke of their skepticism about the readiness of the report by next week.

While the party members were told this week that the review would be ready by the deadline set for Wednesday, there was no confirmation on when it would be released and published, they said, stating it could be a “play on words”.  

“There’s no way it will be ready,” they said, stating that some submissions only went in on Tuesday and some of them are very lengthy. Aside from the submissions and interviews, the report also has to be compiled.

This TD was also critical that Micheál Martin will see the review before the parliamentary party. “We didn’t know that on the night that we agreed to the terms of reference,” they said, adding: “It was never mentioned.” 

This party member speculated that if there is any delay in the report, the party leadership will place the blame at the feet of the three parliamentary party members tasked with conducting the review. 

Carlow-Kilkenny TD John McGuinness, who has been vocal about the need to discuss the future leadership of the party, told The Journal that he was given a firm commitment by the Chief Whip Mary Butler that the report would be ready by the deadline of next week and that members would get a copy.

“Her answer to that was yes, it will be ready, you will get a copy. So I can only go by that,” he told The Journal. 

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‘No reason for delay’

“We simply want some specific questions answered and I see no reason why we wouldn’t have those questions in the timeframe that was agreed,” he said. 

Asked if the party was told that Martin would get first sight of the report, McGuinness said there was “no suggestion that would happen, none”. 

“That would seem to be a filter – that is not what the members asked for,” he added. 

McGuinness said he couldn’t think of any reason that would prevent the report being brought on 12 November.

A number of TDs spoke of this party debacle being a symptom of wider frustrations within the party of late, speaking about government inaction, which they said backbench TDs have to explain to their constituents. 

One said it is almost a year into this government and there is not much to show for it.

They noted that much of next year will be taken up with the preparation for the EU Presidency, stating that there is a risk domestic issues will take a backseat. 

“We’ve such delay and inaction on so many things,” said another, who spoke about the Taoiseach placing the blame on civil servants.

“Are we running the country or are they?” this TD asked. 

Asked by The Journal if the report will be released next week, the Fianna Fáil press office said: “We don’t comment on the review.”