Overview

• Announcing his exit with immediate effect, Gavin said he had made a mistake, was taking steps to address it, and had weighed the impact on his family’s wellbeing.
• Recent reporting detailed an overpayment of about €3,300 by a former tenant dating to 2009 as well as a failure to register a rental property with the Residential Tenancies Board.
• Gavin’s late withdrawal means his name is likely to remain on the October 24 ballot, though there will be no active campaign behind it.
• The race now centers on independent Catherine Connolly and Fine Gael’s Heather Humphreys, with a recent poll showing Connolly at 32%, Humphreys at 23%, and many of Gavin’s second preferences favoring Humphreys.
• RTÉ’s analysis says Fianna Fáil’s strategy has been upended and raises questions for party leader Micheál Martin over candidate vetting and judgment.