JUSTICE MINISTER JIM O’Callaghan, the man many see as the most likely contender to be the next leader of Fianna Fáil, has poured cold water on the prospect of a heave against Micheál Martin following the party’s disastrous presidential election bid.

Speaking at a post-Budget press conference this afternoon, O’Callaghan was asked if he aspires to be the leader of Fianna Fáil. 

The Justice Minister paused, sighed, repeated the question to himself and then responded: 

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

His response is significant as it comes in the midst of a crisis within Fianna Fáil following Jim Gavin’s withdrawal from the presidential election late on Sunday night. 

Micheál Martin and Jim O'Callaghan Alamy Alamy

In the wake of Gavin’s withdrawal, some Fianna Fáil party members have been quick to apportion blame and have questioned the party leadership’s judgment in selecting Gavin, a political novice.

While Jack Chambers, Fianna Fáil’s deputy leader, was once talked about as a possible successor for Martin, the majority in Fianna Fáil believe that this series of events, and the role Chambers played in it as director of elections, has changed all that.

The Fianna Fáil parliamentary party will meet for the first time tonight following the debacle. The meeting is expected to be fraught, and some have suggested Martin’s leadership of the party could be on the line.

O’Callaghan’s response today, though, would signal that a heave against Martin is not likely… yet.

In terms of how tonight’s meeting will go, one backbencher told The Journal that everyone will have their say.

They said lots of grassroots members have been in touch to say they are very unhappy with both Micheál Martin and how the whole issue was handled.

However, while they said that there would be uproar at the party tonight, ultimately, nothing will come of it.

One Fianna Fáil minister said that Martin would survive this, though they said at this evening’s meeting he will have to “eat some humble pie”.

One Fianna Fáil TD said that it might damage Martin’s leadership in the long run, but ultimately, no one will have the gumption to move a challenge against Martin.

Their view was that O’Callaghan is happy in his ministry and doesn’t appear to be in any sort of “heave-mode”.

Meanwhile, asked today if he believes Fianna Fáil has thrown Jim Gavin under the bus, the minister responded: 

“The first thing I want to say is, I want to express my concern for Jim Gavin. It’s an extremely difficult time for him and his family. Politics and electoral politics is not an easy task for anyone.”

O’Callaghan said that it is easy to say there were mistakes with the benefit of hindsight and that he believes the process “might have been fairer to all concerned” had there been a longer nomination period. 

“Had there been a process whereby Fianna Fáil could consider the candidates at hustings, a lot of the issues maybe that were associated with Jim might have been identified,” O’Callaghan said.

“But listen, it’s all very easy to be sort of wise after the event. I don’t believe anyone in Fianna Fáil has thrown Jim Gavin under a bus. I think my abiding concern is the concern of everyone in Fianna Fáil, is his welfare and to ensure that he gets through what is an extremely difficult time.”

Elsewhere, Fianna Fáil minister and government chief whip Mary Butler was also asked today about the party’s presidential election fiasco.

She said it is an internal matter for Fianna Fáil, and that she has organised a parliamentary party meeting for 7 o’clock tonight, like she does every week.

“We will address it there, and we will work out a process going forward,” she said.

Butler also said she has personally contacted Gavin since his withdrawal.

Mary Butler (R) pictured today. Leah Farrell Leah Farrell

“So I reached out to Jim Gavin on Monday morning from a personal level. I had met the man on several occasions, I had canvassed with him,” she said.

“This is a political issue. This is a political issue that the Fianna Fáil party are going to deal with. We will have our parliamentary party tonight. We will look at where the mistakes were made, and we will certainly learn from it.

But I would much prefer to be answering questions on the mental health budget,” she said. 

With reporting from Christina Finn.