The Irish presidential race has boiled down to a “clear choice between Government and opposition”, after one of three candidates dramatically quit the contest.
Fianna Fail candidate Jim Gavin announced he would be withdrawing from the race after acknowledging he had “made a mistake”, in a move that shakes up the competition and posed questions for his main backers in the party.
The late night statement came hours after Mr Gavin faced repeating questioning during a televised debate and subsequent media doorstep about claims he owed a former tenant thousands of euro.
The Irish Independent reported the experiences of a tenant who said he had failed to recover 3,000 euro (£2,600) in overpaid rent from Mr Gavin 16 years ago.
The Dubliner said he was in financial difficulty at the time and lost the property, also acknowledging the tenancy was not officially registered.
Mr Gavin, 54, told reporters: “If it happened, I’m very sorry that it happened. I’m looking into it and I will deal with it with urgency.”
Through the party press office after 10pm, he announced: “Recent days have given me cause to reflect. I made a mistake that was not in keeping with my character and the standards I set myself. I am now taking steps to address the matter.
“I have also thought long and hard about the potential impact of the ongoing campaign on the wellbeing of my family and friends.
“Taking all these considerations on board, I have decided to withdraw from the presidential election contest with immediate effect and return to the arms of my family.”
Taoiseach and Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin, who had some pushback within the party for driving Mr Gavin’s candidacy, said his decision to end the campaign was the “correct one”.
The bombshell exit from the race now puts question marks over Mr Martin’s decision making, after the party’s nomination process brought disquiet and criticism among backbenchers.
Mr Gavin – who had supported from Mr Martin, deputy leader Jack Chambers and other senior figures – secured the party’s nomination after a contest against MEP Billy Kelleher.
In his ultimately unsuccessful search for Fianna Fail’s nomination, Mr Kelleher argued that “nobody who leads a democratic party could be unhappy with having a robust, rigorous debate within the party” about picking a candidate.
Former party leader and taoiseach Bertie Ahern also told reporters he was “disappointed” the party leadership had not expressed support for his own potential bid for the Aras, while former Fianna Fail minister Mary Hanafin said leadership making “a phone call would have made a difference” about her own consideration of entering the race.
Mr Gavin, who was among three candidates alongside Fine Gael’s Heather Humphreys and left-wing independent Catherine Connolly, will remain on the ballot paper.
His decision to drop out came after a Sunday Independent/Ireland Thinks poll put him in last place on 15%, behind Ms Connolly (32%) and Ms Humphreys (23%).
People Before Profit TD Paul Murphy – who is backing Ms Connolly along with a range of independents, Sinn Fein, the Social Democrats and Labour – said the withdrawal of Mr Gavin “clarifies the nature of this campaign”.
In a statement, he said: “It is now a straight choice between a Fine Gael former Minister, Heather Humphreys and a leading independent opposition TD, Catherine Connolly.
“People have a choice between a candidate who stands up for the developers and corporate landlords who have profited from Fine Gael’s and Fianna Fail’s disastrous housing policy and a candidate who stands up for those who suffer from this housing crisis.
“It is a clear choice between a Fine Gael candidate who supports the Government’s moves to scrap the Triple Lock and fundamentally undermine neutrality and a candidate who defends neutrality.”
He added: “It is a choice between a Fine Gael candidate who suggested that the Occupied Territories Bill won’t make any difference and a candidate who has been consistent for decades in opposing Israeli occupation.
“I am looking forward to the coming one on one debates between Heather Humphreys and Catherine Connolly. I have every confidence that Catherine’s authenticity will continue to shine through.”
During Sunday’s televised debate on RTE’s The Week In Politics, Ms Humphreys said she had “the experience to do this job”.
“I was a minister for 10 years as Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht I supported Creative Ireland, I supported a roll out of investments in our cultural institutions,” she said.
“As Minister for Business, I travelled the world opening doors for Irish businesses with the IDA and Enterprise Ireland, opening doors so that they could get new markets.
“So I’m experienced in terms of international relations, and then when it comes to people, as Minister for Social Protection, I stood up for people, and I rolled out Budgets that put money into people’s pockets when they needed it.”
