Jim O’Callaghan is being backed to replace Micheál Martin as the leader of Fianna Fáil after he questioned his party’s policy on entering coalition talks with Sinn Féin.
The Dublin Bay South TD suggested his party was “maybe too definitive” in ruling out a Sinn Féin coalition during the election campaign. His comments come as party leader Micheál Martin faces ongoing criticism for his resistance to the idea.
With one Fianna Fáil TD reported to have said that Martin’s days as leader “are numbered”, BoyleSports have made Jim O’Callaghan the favourite to succeed him after cutting him into 7/4 favourite from 7/2.
Deputy leader Dara Calleary, who is part of the negotiating team currently talking to Fine Gael about a possible coalition, is the 3/1 second favourite should the current impasse trigger a leadership election.
Lawrence Lyons, spokesperson for BoyleSports, said: “O’Callaghan has often been touted as future party leader and his speaking out against leadership policy this week hasn’t gone unnoticed. We’ve had to trim his odds on being the new leader after a notable increase in speculation over Martin’s leadership of Fianna Fáil.”