GAVIN QUITS AS CANDIDATE JUST HOURS AFTER LIVE TV DEBATE

JIM Gavin told a TV debate he was looking into reports he owes a former tenant €3,000 just hours before he dropped out of the presidential race last night.

- BY CILLIAN SHERLOCK

It relates to a dispute with a former tenant around the time his own family came into financial difficulty.

The Fianna Fail candidate added: “That matter was over 16 years ago. It was a very stressful time for myself and my family. Like a lot of families and couples, we came into financial difficulty at that time.”

URGENCY

Mr Gavin said: “If it happened, I'm very sorry it happened. I'm looking into it and will deal with it with urgency.”

The former manager of the Dublin football team also questioned if the “time is right” for a poll on Irish unity.

Mr Gavin made the comments during the second live TV presidential debate with Independent TD Catherine Connolly and Fine Gael candidate Heather Humphreys on RTE’s The Week in Politics.

He said: “I'm not sure if the time is right. We've a lot of work to do with the North of Ireland.” Ms Connolly said, if elected, she would like to see a referendum during her tenure.

She added: “It has to be done by consent, with respect for all communities and all traditions.”