Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin has called on the Culture Minister to clarify if she played any role in the compensation case lodged by Maria Bailey.

Josepha Madigan is under pressure to distance herself from the controversy which has engulfed Fine Gael for almost two weeks.

Her family's law firm acted for Ms Bailey but it is not clear whether the minister provided any advice on the case.

"In situations like this, the best thing to do is just say it like it is," Mr Martin said.

"Whatever transpired whenever they discussed it a few years ago, Josepha should just be candid about that and give what happened. Yes or no."

Ms Madigan stepped away from Madigan Solicitors in 2017 but has refused to say whether she advised her colleague prior to that.

The comments from the Opposition leader came after Fine Gael appointed a barrister to investigate the case.

David Kennedy has been asked to establish "all the facts" surrounding Ms Bailey's fall from a swing in the Dean hotel in July 2015.

Sources say he will be able to interview any party members he feels is necessary before reporting back directly to the Taoiseach.

Speaking to the Irish Independent at the Bloom festival, Mr Martin said: "Obviously the Fine Gael party has appointed a senior counsel to get a comprehensive account of it but the backdrop here is compo culture and soaring increases in insurance costs to businesses and individuals."

He said a lot of small businesses "are saying to us that they can't survive with insurance costs. So that's the context and why I think Fine Gael, and Josepha and Maria, need to understand that and make a clean breast of it.

"It's reflective of their detachment from the lives of people and from reality," Mr Martin said.

Fine Gael's director of elections John Paul Phelan yesterday admitted Ms Bailey's case negatively affected their vote last Friday.

But he said: "I think it would have had a much deeper effect in a general election context.

"In the local election, where your local small business person may be standing for election, I don't think it came in as big a factor."

Speaking on Independent.ie's 'Floating Voter' podcast, Mr Phelan revealed he spoke to the TD on Saturday morning, the same day it was revealed she ran a 10km race three weeks after her fall.

"I was speaking to Maria on Saturday morning about election results in her area. As if to disprove the argument about her [that she cost the party votes], our vote went up and our seats went up in Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council," Mr Phelan said.

However, he said he was cautious about commenting on the controversy because as a member of Fine Gael's national executive he may yet have to consider whether the TD is sanctioned.

"I've looked at some of the horrific social media comment over the past week. She's obviously getting it in the neck," he said.

Irish Independent