SEÁN GALLAGHER HAS today said he abhorred many of the decisions Fianna Fáil took in government as his relationship with the party comes under scrutiny.

The independent presidential candidate was asked on last night’s Prime Time debate whether he thought that Fianna Fáil had let the country down when in government.

His relationship with the party has been under scrutiny in this campaign. He is a former member of the Fianna Fáil National Executive and ran election campaigns for some of their members.

The Dragons’ Den judge last night appeared to evade the question by Miriam O’Callaghan and instead pointed to the fact that he was not in cabinet at the time decisions were made. ”I can’t answer for Fianna Fáil,” he added.

However, speaking to the Neil Prenderville Show on Cork’s 96fm today, Gallagher partly explained his reason for not directly addressing the question, saying that the word “condemnation” was not in his vocabulary.

He said of last night’s debate: “I couldn’t condemn the ordinary grass roots members of the party throughout the country, ordinary decent people, who were not in Government who were not in cabinet, who did not make decisions.

I did try to get the opportunity, but didn’t get back in to say that of course I abhor many of the decisions of the last government and the mismanagement of our economy that has taken us to where we are and the last government were responsible.

I have never used the word condemnation in my life. It is not in my vocabulary.

He went on to say: “The last government badly mismanaged the economy. It overheated. We are now left with the issues of businesses struggling and unemployment.

“I think that there were appalling decisions made. Of course there was mismanagement at senior level and Michéal Martin has accepted that.”

Gallagher is spending the day campaigning in Cork.

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