Jack Chambers opens up on his part in the disastrous Jim Gavin presidential bid – and whether embattled Taoiseach Micheál Martin will lead Fianna Fail into the next general election
Fianna Fáil deputy leader Jack Chambers has said Taoiseach Micheál Martin will lead the party into the next general election, breaking with several Cabinet colleagues who have declined to fully back Martin's stated ambition to serve a third term. The comments come amid ongoing fallout from the failed presidential bid of Jim Gavin, whom Chambers backed as Fianna Fáil's candidate before Gavin withdrew over an undisclosed debt, a debacle that triggered a backbench revolt and left Martin's leadership weakened.
Chambers, who served as Fianna Fáil's director of elections for the presidential race, admitted the episode was "very difficult, very divisive" but insisted he remains loyal to Martin, who has led the party for 15 years and is widely expected to announce a departure timeline early next year, after Ireland's EU presidency. Rivals including Jim O'Callaghan, Darragh O'Brien and James Lawless have stopped short of endorsing Martin's leadership plans, with Lawless invoking a Shakespearean line about Brutus. Twenty-nine TDs had defied the leadership to back Billy Kelleher over Gavin, who won 41 votes; an internal review found the leadership failed to properly follow up on Gavin's denials about the debt dispute before his selection. Chambers, who has not spoken to Gavin since, declined to rule himself out of a future leadership contest.
- Chambers says Martin will lead Fianna Fáil into next election
- Colleagues withhold full backing for Martin's leadership plans
- Fallout continues from Jim Gavin's failed presidential bid
Both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Those who favour Micheál Martin continuing to lead Fianna Fáil into the next election would point to his experience and the stability he has provided over fifteen years, including steering the party through complex coalition arrangements. They would argue that one difficult episode, such as the presidential campaign, should not overshadow a broader record of stewardship, and that an orderly transition planned around the EU presidency reflects responsible, considered leadership rather than one forced by panic. Supporters might also note that changing leaders too close to a general election carries its own risks of instability and lost momentum.
The case against
Those who believe Martin should set out a clear and prompt departure timeline would argue that fifteen years at the helm is a long tenure, and that the party needs renewal to present a fresh face to voters. They would point to the difficulties around the presidential bid as evidence that it is time for new energy and strategic thinking within the leadership. Advocates of a change might also argue that prolonged uncertainty over the succession is itself damaging, sapping party morale and giving rivals a clearer run, and that a decisive, early transition would better position Fianna Fáil for the next general election.