The Fianna Fáil report into so-called Gavin-gate apparently found that presidential candidate Jim Gavin was asked three times about a dispute with a tenant.

He told party bosses (but seemingly not the taoiseach) that he was looking into the issue, following media interest and intervention of a TD.

He finally decided that he could not continue in the race or believe it fair to ask Fianna Fáil members to support him and informed the taoiseach that he was withdrawing.

In the circumstances, Micheál Martin agreed. Despite the political fallout, it was the right and principled decision. 

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Otherwise, it would most likely be an issue throughout the election, haunting the candidate. It had became a point of confusion/amusement for the electorate and an unwelcome distraction for the government. 

To Jim Gavin and his family, it was a personal disaster after an illustrious career in the GAA, international peacekeeping and Air Corps.

Being offered the opportunity to be president of one’s country is more than just flattering: it’s an honour and privilege even if you lose.

And the latter was graciously and generously acknowledged by the Fine Gael candidate, Heather Humphreys. 

The report was drafted seemingly without Jim Gavin’s involvement, but his lawyers were sent the document before it was shared with members of the parliamentary party.

This was a necessary and proper procedure as naming public or private figures without giving notice is unfair, and being given notice is established procedure. 

Two things were well known before this course of events: the first, that the senior leadership of Fianna Fáil believe the taoiseach was correct in acknowledging that to win with a centrist campaign, the party needed an external candidate sympathetic to their values but with a wider appeal. He and they were right. 

Sinn Féin, Labour, PBP and the Social Democrats all recognised there was no-one in their own ranks fit to win over a broad section of the electorate.

The ultimate victor in the election, Catherine Connolly, is the embodiment of an acknowledgement by those parties that she may reach elements of the Irish electorate beyond the reach of any alone.

The taoiseach had the right type of approach to the presidential campaign. Did it go wrong? Yes. But things do and will go wrong. That’s life – not just political life. (This columnist faced frustration after frustration trying to navigate the vagaries of a financially regulated institution and was passed from pillar to post with seemingly no one point of central command or knowledge.) 

Sometimes what should be straightforward turns into a maze of officialdom. 

Only Fine Gael, as usual, had the hubris to think they could pull it off.

Declaring early got the competent Mairead McGuinness a head-start but also drew media attention over her European expenses. 

Former UK Prime Minister Harold Macmillan once said “Events, dear boy, events” are what derails governments. And events played the cards of fate again for Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael. 

Fine Gael’s miscalculation in national races is actually worse than Fianna Fáil’s.

The latter’s disgruntlement is transparent, transient, and self-inflicted.

Micheál Martin has resurrected a near-dead Fianna Fáil after the financial crash. He has been careful – perhaps dithering and indecisive, but resolute – when he has taken a course of action.

That has given careers to members of Fianna Fáil who looked like they may never become a TD, let alone hold government posts in two administrations and control the fate of a third. 

There is a small cabal of earnest anti-Martin activists and TDs. Then there is a smaller group of ambitious and anxious TDs who think his longevity is now a liability.

They would be foolish to sink the one lifeboat which made Fianna Fáil a perennial political winner.

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Opportunism is the stuff of intra- and inter-political rivalries; and cannibalism is the most destructive force in parties — just ask the British Conservatives and Labour, the SDLP, and Scot Nats.

The offer of those opposed to Martin would need to be a lot better than just finding a complex personal judgement to bring him down. To date, that has not been apparent. 

Martin and Ireland deserve to lead the EU Presidency next year. 

There are too many anti-European barbarians – far left and far right – at the gate who could completely undermine the positive role of Ireland in peacekeeping, the economy, the EU, the shared island, and foreign direct investment. Ireland prospers under centrist and liberal governments. 

Better to have a strong, steady hand at the wheel as stormy waters approach.

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