THE FIANNA FÁIL team carrying out the review into the party’s disastrous presidential election campaign will provide an update to the parliamentary party this evening on the report. 

It is not expected TDs or senators will receive a copy or that the report will be published this week.

Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin said yesterday the report will be published “before Christmas”. 

The progress update to the parliamentary party comes after the Fianna Fáil Ard Comhairle held its first meeting since the election last night. 

While there was no real discussion about the contents of the review at last night’s meeting, which was held over Zoom due to the bad weather, it is understood that the party executive was told that Jim Gavin agreed to be the Fianna Fáil candidate on 1 August. 

Interestingly, it was towards the end of August that party members were none the wiser about who the party candidate would be, with MEP Billy Kelleher calling for an emergency parliamentary party meeting on the issue close to the end of August. 

There have been plenty of names in the mix the last throughout the summer months, but the party leader stayed schtum on the issue, merely stating at the time that his party would make a “contribution” to the presidential election and that he would make the party’s intentions known in September. 

Gavin was officially selected by the parliamentary party on 9 September, with TDs, senators and MEPs voting for Gavin by 41 votes to Billy Kelleher’s 29 votes.

Last night’s meeting of the Ard Comhairle was understood to be “constructive” but that party members voiced their disappointment at what had happened with the presidential campaign. 

No details about the review were revealed, but the Taoiseach is understood to have been upfront about the failings, striking similar tone that he did during his first meeting with the parliamentary party after the election.

Martin is believed to have said he understood peoples’ hurt and accepted responsibility for the election failures as party leader. 

There has been significant discontent within the party over the delay in the publication of the review.

Related Reads

'Not a hope in hell': There will be fury in Fianna Fáil if election review delayed

Fianna Fáilers vented about so-called 'naughty list' while the boss was en route to Brazil

What part of the country gave the most votes to Jim Gavin?

Some are skeptical if the report will be released before Christmas, as promised by Martin.

The Taoiseach is due to travel to Brussels for an EU leaders meeting late next Wednesday, the day in which the parliamentary party meeting usually takes place.

The meeting could be held earlier in the day or rescheduled for Tuesday 16 December.

The Dáil rises on Thursday 18 December for its Christmas break.