Fianna Fáil dropped presidential candidate Jim Gavin after a tenant dispute surfaced, leading to his withdrawal weeks before the election.

An internal Fianna Fáil review found Taoiseach Micheál Martin withdrew backing for presidential candidate Jim Gavin after a tenant dispute emerged in October 2025, prompting Gavin to exit the race three weeks before the election. The party had been warned multiple times before September but failed to act until the issue became public. Gavin withdrew after acknowledging partial payments to a former tenant and consulting party leaders. The review criticised Fianna Fáil’s candidate selection as informal and poorly structured, noting no polling, unclear timelines and delayed campaigning. Campaign spending is expected to reach up to €400,000, exceeding the €250,000 grant, and the report called for formal nomination procedures going forward.