FALLOUT CONTINUES FOR the coalition over revelations that Fianna Fáil hired Ivan Yates to train Jim Gavin for the presidential election while the broadcaster was also working as an analyst covering the campaign.

Tánaiste Simon Harris has expressed frustration over the attention Fine Gael got over Yates’s supposed involvement in their campaign, when in reality it was Fianna Fáil that had recruited the former government minister.

Although Yates’s active involvement in the campaign has only publicly emerged in recent days, he attracted criticism during the Áras race when he said that were he contacted for advice by Fine Gael, he would “smear the bejaysus” out of candidate Catherine Connolly.

Speaking to reporters outside Leinster House this morning, Harris said:

“It’s frustrating to me that many of you in the media during the presidential election campaign asking Fine Gael candidates time and time again, asking about comments that Ivan Yates apparently gave to Fine Gael when it’s quite clear not only was he not advising Fine Gael, but he was being paid for by another party.”

The Tánaiste’s comments came shortly after Fianna Fáil junior minister Niall Collins told RTÉ Radio One’s Morning Ireland programme that Fine Gael takes “every opportunity it can to undermine” Fianna Fáil and the Taoiseach.

Harris said that he didn’t “want to comment on an internal Fianna Fail matter”, adding that his party’s coalition partner has provided information in relation already.

“That’s a matter for them who they decide to be trained by, and it’s for them to comment on that,” Harris said.

Harris added that there are “legitimate issues around transparency in media” for broadcasters and the regulator Coimisiún na Meán to consider as well.

He said it’s now “very clear” that the issue “goes beyond the presidential election” and that he welcomed that the commission was examining the controversy.

Harris said that the “presidential election has happened” and he wished to move on to government business, including issues surrounding housing, migration and disability.

Taoiseach on ‘fluid’ relationship between politics and media

Taoiseach Micheál Martin told reporters this morning that it’s “no secret” that the party employed Yates, having filed returns after other elections where his media training company was listed as being paid for services.

In terms of the Ivan Yates issue, I think there’s been a lack of balance candidly and perspective and how that issue has been treated.

“All the political parties use media training,” Martin said, “Fianna Fail is no different to any other political party, in that respect.”

The Taoiseach Micheál Martin speaking to reporters this morning. Leah Farrell / RollingNews.ie Leah Farrell / RollingNews.ie / RollingNews.ie

Martin added that the “intersection between politics, media, polling companies, pundits, commentators is a very fluid one, an interesting one”, and not just about one individual.

“I think people should declare a conflict of interest, but it’s a matter that everybody, including in politics and in media, should reflect on this,” the Taoiseach said.

Fine Gael Agriculture Minister Martin Heydon also said this morning that it was “disappointing” that the issue had not been clarified sooner by Fianna Fáil or Yates.

Ultimately, Heydon said, it was to be welcomed that Coimisiún na Meán is now carrying out a review.

Fianna Fáil broke its silence on Yates’s role in its presidential campaign after it emerged over the weekend the former Fine Gael minister had been involved in debate preparation for its candidate Jim Gavin.

TodayFM presenter Matt Cooper, who co-presented political podcast Path to Power with Yates since December 2023, said he was “gobsmacked” to learn of Yates’s work for Fianna Fáil during the campaign.

The news of Yates’ involvement in the election campaign, on the back of another poor showing in a newspaper poll over the weekend, which sees Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin’s popularity drop to 33% in the space a month, has only ratcheted up bad feelings among backbenchers.

Those The Journal asked about the matter said it was just another “embarrassing” revelation, but the majority said they didn’t expect it to make much of a difference to the overall assessment of the presidential campaign.

With reporting by Christina Finn