Fianna Fáil has confirmed it hired Ivan Yates during the presidential campaign to provide four hours of “interview and debate training” for its candidate Jim Gavin but said the former Fine Gael minister was not involved in its campaign team.
The party statement came as it emerged Minister for Housing James Brownealso received media training from Mr Yates. However, a spokeswoman for the Fianna Fáil minister said the commentator was not involved in advising on “policy matters”.
Controversy has surrounded Mr Yates, a former Fine Gael minister, since it emerged he provided coaching to Mr Gavin. It has now sparked an internal Government row.
Mr Gavin withdrew from the Áras campaign prior to the vote due to controversy about his failure to repay a former tenant more than €3,000 in overpaid rent.
Coimisiún na Meán, the media regulator, said it will be contacting major broadcasters to seek more information about the work Mr Yates did for them during the presidential election, after it emerged he had been involved in media training for the Fianna Fail candidate
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