Taoiseach Michéal Martin has accused Sinn Féin of “nasty” and negative tactics after the Opposition party criticised the Fianna Fáil presidential candidate Jim Gavin over remarks he made about the war in Gaza.
In an interview this week, Mr Gavin had called for an end to the bombing in Gaza while noting it continued even after Israel’s “military objectives have probably been reached”.
Sinn Féin TD Pearse Doherty described Mr Gavin’s remarks as “shocking” and “disgraceful” in the context of the scale of Palestinian casualties. Mr Doherty said the comments should be “withdrawn”.
However, Fianna Fáil hit back, arguing that the rival party was “starting its negative campaign” as it recognised Mr Gavin was a “strong candidate”.
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The Taoiseach further criticised Sinn Féin on Thursday, accusing it of distorting Mr Gavin’s comments.
[ Jim Gavin ‘honoured’ to be selected as Fianna Fáil presidential candidateOpens in new window ]
“Jim Gavin was very clear in that interview” and “said it was unconscionable what was happening,” Mr Martin said, when questioned by reporters in Dublin.
“Why is Sinn Féin always trying to create division on this question, trying to be more virtuous than the other person, trying to sort of say, well, that person is for Israel or whatever when they clearly are not?”
The Taoiseach added: “This is a distortion by Sinn Féin, and it’s nasty, and it should stop, because Jim Gavin has all his life been a peacekeeper. He’s been involved in conflict resolution and he was involved in one of the largest humanitarian exercises undertaken by the UN in Chad ...
“I would say to Sinn Féin: cut it out. We’ve had it in the Dáil now from the far left and from Sinn Féin for far too long.”
Former Dublin football boss Mr Gavin, who had a career in the Defence Forces, was selected as Fianna Fáil’s presidential election candidate earlier this week.
During an interview with Virgin Media television Mr Gavin said: “I believe Ireland has been very strong in terms of what’s happening in Gaza.
“It’s unconscionable what’s happening at the moment. It’s unconscionable that we have a man-made famine in 2025.
“It’s unconscionable that the bombing is still taking place when I would believe that the military objectives have probably been reached for that military campaign. The bombing needs to stop.”
He added there is a need to get aid to the people of Gaza “immediately” and he also called for the Israeli hostages taken during the Hamas attack on Israel in 2023 to be returned.
Mr Gavin made similar comments questioning why the bombing is continuing despite the military objectives being “achieved” during an interview with Newstalk radio.
During that interview, he also agreed with the suggestion that Israel’s actions in Gaza are a genocide.
Sinn Féin TD Mr Doherty referred to Mr Gavin’s remarks in the television interview and said: “This is a disgraceful way to talk about the brutal slaughter of tens of thousands of men, women and children.”
In a post on X, he added: “The forced starvation of an entire population! The destruction of Gaza! It’s a genocide, Jim.”
He described the presidential candidate’s remarks as “shameful” and said they should be “withdrawn immediately.”
Sinn Féin is yet to decide if it will field its own presidential candidate or row in with left-wing parties behind Independent TD Catherine Connolly’s campaign.
A Fianna Fáil spokeswoman responded to Mr Doherty’s criticism, saying: “It is clear that Sinn Féin recognise what a strong candidate Jim Gavin is and is starting its negative campaign.”
She added: “Jim Gavin was a senior officer in one of the largest civil protection missions of the 21st century. His first reaction is always to focus on saving lives and that’s what his short answer addressed.”
The spokeswoman also said: “Deputy Doherty’s statement is an example of the type of politics which causes so many people to be cynical.
“Jim Gavin is unequivocal in his condemnation of the Israeli government’s genocidal actions. Hopefully this campaign will be spared this sort of fake outrage and cynical misrepresentation.”
