"Speaking this morning on Newstalk's Pat Kenny Show, Mr Martin said he has not spoken to Mr Gavin since Sunday evening but he does plan to speak to him again soon. He repeated that former Dublin football manager Jim Gavin did not disclose any previous issues with tenants, saying his words were "no, absolutely not" when Fianna Fáil put the query to him."
"Speaking of the query received by the Irish Independent regarding Mr Gavin owing money to a previous tenant, Mr Martin said; "It immediately went to the candidate and he immediately said no there wasn't. "Any due diligence is only as good as the information received. But [the campaign] was intensive. "The level of scrutiny today is far more intensive than it would have been in previous eras.""
"He continued; "There were invented stories on social media as well which were horrible, and untrue." The Taoiseach said he acknowledges he "recommended strongly" that Jim Gavin be the party's candidate for the presidential race, but said he was not aware of anyone in the parliamentary party expressing an interest in running before July. "Our party has come a long way since 2011. We are the largest party in the Dáil, the largest party in local government."
Micheál Martin said Jim Gavin is taking a few days out and that Martin has not spoken to him since Sunday evening but will do so soon. Martin reported that Gavin denied any prior issues with tenants, quoting Gavin as saying "no, absolutely not." Martin expressed sympathy for Gavin, described the episode as traumatic, and stressed that due diligence depends on information received during an intensive campaign. Martin highlighted intensified public scrutiny and invented social media stories, acknowledged he recommended Gavin strongly as the party candidate, and noted no parliamentary colleague had come forward before July.
Read at Irish Independent
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