Jim Gavin exits Irish presidential race 'with immediate effect'

Fianna Fáil candidate Jim Gavin has announced he is withdrawing from the Irish presidential election with "immediate effect".

The former Dublin gaelic football manager was set to be one of three candidates standing for election on 24 October, alongside Independent TD Catherine Connolly and Fine Gael's Heather Humphreys.

However, on Sunday evening he said in a statement he had "made a mistake that was not in keeping with my character and the standards I set myself".

"Taking all these considerations on board, I have decided to withdraw from the presidential election contest with immediate effect and return to the arms of my family," he added.

In the statement, he said he initially contested the election "in a spirit of lifelong public service and a love of country".

"I believe deeply in this country, its dreams, its hopes and above all its people," he said.

"The office of Uachtarán na hÉireann (Irish president) is the highest in the land and the pinnacle of public service. It is an office that must be untainted by controversy or distraction."

The 54-year-old Dubliner added he knew the campaign would be "robust and challenging", however issues that have surfaced in recent days "have given me cause to reflect".

Gavin did not elaborate on the reason for his withdrawal in his statement. But his withdrawal followed a news report in the Irish Independent newspaper on Saturday alleging Gavin owed €3,300 (£2,870) to a former tenant.

Gavin was asked about the story on RTÉ's presidential debate on Sunday and said: "If it happened, I'm very sorry that it happened. I'm looking into it and I will deal with it with urgency."

He added that he did not have "all the information" about the matter.

Taoiseach (Irish prime minister) and Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin said Gavin's decision to withdraw was "the correct one".

"Jim has accepted that he made an error in relation to an issue that has arisen in recent days," he said.

"He himself has said the office of Uachtarán na hÉireann is the highest in the land and the pinnacle of public service. He is clear that he does not want to bring controversy onto this office."

Martin added it was a "very difficult decision" for Gavin to withdraw given his "commitment to public service".

Gavin is a former Irish military pilot and a current aviation expert but he is best known for his successes as a Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) football manager.

He managed the Dublin men's team from 2012 to 2019, when it won six All Ireland Senior Football Championship titles - five of which were back-to-back victories.

He had 20-year career in the Irish Air Corps and was later appointed as Chief Operations Officer of the Irish Aviation Authority.

Last month, Gavin said he had sent legal letters to some social media firms after "smears" of a "very personal nature" were posted about him online.

He said online misinformation had "become normalised" in society and he was "going to make a stand" by contacting media regulators and social media platforms.