Jim Gavin's presidential candidacy was first suggested to Fianna Fáil by All-Ireland winner Keith Barr

JIM GAVIN WAS recommended as a Fianna Fáil Presidential candidate to Minister Jack Chambers by Gavin’s former Dublin All-Ireland winning team-mate Keith Barr.

It has been revealed this evening in the internal review into Fianna Fáil’s disastrous presidential campaign that the candidacy of Gavin was first proposed by Barr, when he contacted Chambers on the week commencing 9 June last.

Barr suggested to Chambers that Gavin ‘would make a very fine candidate’. 

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The Minister had no personal relationship with Gavin prior to this time, and subsequently informed Fianna Fáil’s General Secretary Sean Dorgan and Taoiseach Micheál Martin of the call.

On Sunday 15 June, Gavin followed up by sending a text message to Chambers to request a meeting, following up on the initial call made by Barr. Sean Dorgan and the Taoiseach were informed of the message, and the following Sunday, 22 June, an informal meeting took place between Minister Chambers, Gavin, Dorgan, and Barr.

This meeting was described in the report as ‘exploratory’, and no commitments were made during the course of the meeting.

Tonight’s Fianna Fáil party meeting is expected to feature a showdown as TDs, MEPs and senators discuss the findings, which detail who knew what and when during the short-lived candidacy of Jim Gavin, who withdrew before polling day after it emerged he owed money to a former tenant.

The 42′s attempts on Tuesday to reach Barr for comment were unsuccessful.

• Follow The Journal for  live updates and reaction after the release of the report, ahead of a showdown parliamentary party meeting.

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- Additional reporting by Declan Bogue