Fine Gael is braced to fight swing-gate TD Maria Bailey if she decides to take a legal action against the party.

Senior figures are “concerned” that Ms Bailey is refusing to accept her deselection as a result of the controversy over a compensation claim.

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe, who ultimately decided her fate, moved swiftly to insist they followed the party rules.

During a private meeting, Ms Bailey told Fine Gael’s National Executive she does not believe her constituency acted appropriately when it voted to have the election ticket reviewed.

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A senior party source said: “She definitely signalled that this might not be the end – but we believe there’s no case, and will stick by the decision.”

In reply to questions from the Irish Independent, Mr Varadkar said he is “absolutely confident” proper procedures were followed.

The Taoiseach said having listened “to the voice of the members”, Fine Gael has now “a new very strong ticket” in Dún Laoghaire.

He said Ms Bailey had been through a “very painful experience” and he didn’t believe “anyone can take any pleasure” in seeing her dropped for the next election.

READ MORE: John Downing: ‘By-election campaigns eclipsed by damaging scandals – which is bad news for FF and FG’

“But my job as party president is to listen to the voice of the members and the members on this occasion asked us to review the ticket and that’s what we did. Now there’s a new very strong ticket in Dún Laoghaire and it puts us, I think, in a good position to hold two seats out of four,” he said.

However, while Mr Varadkar is hoping the controversy over her fall from a swing in a Dublin hotel will now start to fade, it may not be the end of the story.

At a meeting on Thursday night, Ms Bailey told the party’s ruling body that she feels efforts by some in the Dún Laoghaire constituency to oust her were not above board. She was accompanied to the meeting by a solicitor.

Ms Bailey spent close to an hour making a case for why she should be allowed to contest the next election on the Fine Gael ticket.

But the National Executive came to a unanimous decision that she should be dropped and replaced by newly elected councillor Jennifer Carroll MacNeill.

Afterwards, Ms Bailey issued a statement saying she was a “proud” member of Fine Gael and will “now take time to reflect”. The first-time TD noted that she had “raised serious issues” regarding the procedures at a meeting of her local constituency branch where members voted in favour of reviewing the ticket.

READ MORE: Kevin Doyle: ‘The end of ‘swing-gate’ TD Maria Bailey was nothing personal, just the business of attracting votes’

Ms Bailey was previously selected to contest the election alongside Minister of State Mary Mitchell O’Connor and councillor Barry Ward. The latter two remain on the ticket.

READ MORE: Maria Bailey’s substitute: who is Jennifer Carroll-MacNeill?

The vote, which took place on Halloween night, was conducted by secret ballot and all members were allowed to take part, regardless of how long they were in the party.

A well-placed source told the Irish Independent that there is concern Ms Bailey will “make an issue” of how the vote was organised.

However, another source took solace in the fact Ms Bailey issued her statement on Fine Gael-headed paper.

Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe, who is Fine Gael’s director of organisation, yesterday confirmed that Ms Bailey raised concerns about her treatment.

“Deputy Bailey did indicate that she had issues in relation to how the meeting was conducted. I’m not aware of what those issues are,” he said.

However, he indicated that Fine Gael will defend the decision which was ultimately taken on the recommendation of the Taoiseach.

READ MORE:
Fine Gael ‘followed correct procedure’ over Maria Bailey deselection – Varadkar

“It is very much a matter for Deputy Bailey regarding her further response to what happened,” Mr Donohoe said, adding that a “democratic decision” had been taken.

Likewise, Mr Varadkar said: “I am absolutely confident that the party follows all its rules and procedures to the letter. I don’t know if there is going to be a challenge from Deputy Bailey, she hasn’t indicated that’s her intention, but that of course would be a decision for her to make.”

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