Main points
- Catherine Connolly has said that former prisoner and Éirigí member Ursula Ní Shionnain was employed in the Dáil by her at the recommendation of former Fianna Fáil minister Éamon Ó Cuív.
- Earlier, Heather Humphreys said she is “sorry” if the mother of hit-and-run victim Shane O’Farrell incident feels she did not do enough to support the family. Lucia O’Farrell had previously said she was “terribly disappointed” at the perceived lack of action from the presidential candidate.
- Alan Kelly, Labour Party TD and former Labour Party leader, announced on Tipp FM this morning that he will vote for Humphreys, despite Labour backing Connolly. Kelly called a recent remark from Connolly about him “snide” and “degrading.” Last week, Connolly, when asked if she was winning over the support of Kelly, said. “I leave Alan Kelly to deal with Alan Kelly. That’s a full time job perhaps.”
Key Read
- Our nine presidents of the Irish Republic, ranked from nine to one.
That’s it for us tonight, thank you for reading and we’ll be back here tomorrow for all the latest in the presidential election race.
Connolly confirms she used parliamentary allowance on trip to Syria in 2018
The Irish Times reported last week that Ms Connolly used a taxpayer-funded allowance for spending of almost €3,700 related to Syria.
This is despite saying at her campaign launch last July: “I funded that trip.”
“The taxpayer funds three allowances that I get, one for travel, one for an office, which I back up, and then this particular one, which allows for research and policy,” Ms Connolly says during her interview with Colette Fitzpatrick.
Ms Fitzpatrick asks her about the people she met on that trip, including Fares Al-Shehab, a supporter of former Syrian president Bashar al-Assad.
While she says “the context of the trip to Syria was to see the refugees, the Palestinian refugees, to deepen my understanding in relation to that”, Ms Connolly also says she “probably wouldn’t meet” Al-Shehab and “would have been harder on him”.
She says she “absolutely” understands that Syrian people living here were upset at her meeting him and that “people came up to me” to express this.
Keepie-Uppies
Things you need to know when voting: Catherine Connolly’s record of how many keepie-uppies she can do is 100. Nice.
Trump is ‘volatile and unpredictable’
Asked to describe Donald Trump, Ms Connolly says he is “volatile and unpredictable”.
While she says he “absolutely” deserves credit for the peace deal reached in Gaza this week, “there’s a long history here of failed attempts, and I don’t want to be without hope,” Ms Connolly says.
“We’re all grasping at straws here that this will work. But a peace plan takes an awful lot of work.”
Former prisoner who Connolly employed in Dáil was recommended by Éamon Ó Cuív
Catherine Connolly is addressing the issue of having employed a woman who served almost 4½ years of a six-year sentence for possession of arms and ammunition.
Ms Connolly hired Éirigí member Ursula Ní Shionnain in 2018 as administrative support when working in Leinster House.
“This woman served her prison sentence, was fully rehabilitated. She was absolutely, highly recommended by Éamon Ó Cuív, who’s allowed me to use his name, the former minister and TD, as a model prisoner and a model example of rehabilitation,” Ms Connolly says.
Ms Fitzpatrick presses her on why she did not ask her what the guns were going to be used for. “You have said repeatedly during this campaign, Catherine, that you were a voice for peace. And what is a gun other than violence itself?” she asks.
“This is a question about rehabilitation and the function of our prison service, and obviously it’s to protect society first and rehabilitate and really that’s the issue here. Are we taking rehabilitation seriously, or would we just pick and choose?” Ms Connolly says.
“This is a woman who served her prison sentence, was a model prisoner, was recommended highly,” Ms Connolly says.
Now it’s Catherine Connolly’s turn to be interviewed – she’s on Virgin Media One now with Colette Fitzpatrick. We’ll keep you updated on what she says.
What next for Michael D?
As the two presidential hopefuls battle it out for a seat in the Áras, what next for their soon to-be-predecessor?
President Michael D Higgins gave us a hint of what might be his focus once he leaves office in an address to the World Food Forum on Monday.
“Food security, and the achievement of food security, are themes which I am anxious to continue working on after I complete my term as President of Ireland in a few weeks’ time,” Mr Higgins said via video from Dublin to the forum in Rome, Italy.
The World Food Forum is facilitated by the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) and its aim is to transform agri-food systems worldwide for a better and more sustainable food future.
“The reaction to my speeches, in Africa in particular, a continent of 1.5 billion people which, by 2030, is expected to constitute 42 per cent of the world’s youth population, has convinced me that the committed young people of today can achieve, where previous generations did not, and succeed in eliminating global hunger and global poverty.
“In speaking to you today, I wish to emphasise one point above all others – that this goal will not be achieved by simply adjusting existing models of food production and distribution.
“Instead, a radical change is necessary. One based on the breaking of food dependence, achieving food sovereignty, and of doing so within conditions of ecological responsibility and justice,” Mr Higgins said.
A turn to republicanism
Heather Humphreys’ grandfather signed the Ulster Covenant in 1912, an oath of resistance to Home Rule. Her father and husband were members of the Orange Order. At what point did she become a republican, Hannon asks.
“I’m very proud of my tradition. I’m very proud of where I come from,” she says.
She talks about coming from a small village and a family farm, attending a multi-denominational school, which was a new concept at the time.
But how did she become republican, Hannon presses her.
“My parents sent us to a coeducation, multidenominational school. It was a new type of school. It’s a comprehensive school in Cootehill.
“It was a brave decision for them too at the time, but I got a great education there, and I was encouraged to speak up,” Humphreys says.
When would she like to see a united Ireland, and how would she progress it?
“I think it’s the job of the president to put the groundwork in, to get people talking, reaching out that hand of friendship.
“At the end of the day, there’s about one million people in Northern Ireland that identify as British citizens. I think I’m well placed to speak to them.
“I’m well placed to explain to them that I am a product of this country, of the Republic of Ireland. And I think when they see me, they will get some, you know, idea of what it’s like, that this is a welcoming country,” Humphreys says.
‘I‘m sorry if she felt that I didn’t do enough for her’
Heather Humphreys tells Katie Hannon she is “sorry” if the mother of a man who died in a hit-and-run incident feels she did not do enough to support the family.
Shane O’Farrell was 23 years of age when he was knocked off his bike and killed in a hit-and-run incident in Co Monaghan in 2011. The driver was out on bail at the time.
Shane’s mother, Lucia O’Farrell, has said she was “terribly disappointed” that Heather Humphreys did not support the family’s campaign for a public inquiry into failings in the criminal justice system surrounding her son’s death.
“I did speak to Lucia. I spoke to her at length about the accident, and I can tell you now that I felt terrible for her.
“I did receive correspondence from her, and I did make representations to the Minister for Justice at the time, and can I just say I’m sorry if she felt that I didn’t do enough for her, because anybody that came through my door as a TD, I always did my best.
“I’m glad that she has received a State apology,” Humphreys tells Hannon.
Heather Humphreys on The Katie Hannon Interview
Here’s what we’ve learned so far:
– Mary McAleese is the former president Humphreys most admires. “Mary McAleese is an Ulster woman, and she did wonderful work in building bridges with Northern Ireland during her term as president,” Humphreys tells Hannon.
– Her husband, Eric, will move to Áras an Uachtaráin, “but he has a farm at home, and he’ll want to go about his business looking after his cattle”.
– She has not had any engagement with the Women of Honour, a group of former women members of the Irish Defence Forces who came forward in 2021 to expose allegations of harassment. “But I won’t be shy about speaking up for the women. I won’t be shy about speaking up for any of the women in this country,” Humphreys says.
Humphreys questioned on Shane O’Farrell death
Heather Humphreys was also asked about the death of Shane O’Farrell, who was 23 years of age when he was knocked off his bike and killed in a hit and run incident in Co Monaghan in 2011.
For 14 years his mother, Lucia O’Farrell, has been campaigning for answers about how and why Zigimantas Gridziuska, who was driving the car that hit Mr O’Farrell, was out on bail at the time.
Gridziuska had 42 previous convictions, including for road traffic offences, theft and heroin possession.
Ms O’Farrell has said she was “terribly disappointed” that Heather Humphreys did not support the family’s campaign for a public inquiry into failings in the criminal justice system surrounding her son’s death.
Ms O’Farrell told The Irish Times the Fine Gael presidential candidate is “not capable of being the president for the people of Ireland, when she can’t represent her own people in Monaghan”.
Speaking on Monday, Ms Humphreys said she could not interfere in an independent process at the time she was minister for justice.
She said: “I spoke to Lucia O’Farrell at length, the first time I spoke to her. As I said, it was very sad what happened to her son, Shane, and my heart still goes out to her, because the family have had to endure a terrible, terrible loss.
“I did make representations for Lucia and her family on a number of occasions, and I really did my best.
“And I’m sorry if she thinks I didn’t do enough, but I did my best for Lucia.
“I know I was minister for justice, and there was an independent process taking place at that time, I could not interfere in that process, because it could have derailed the entire process.
“Can I just say that I’m glad that Lucia has got a State apology.”
Humphreys ‘won’t let the country down’
When asked to say something positive about her opponent, Heather Humphreys said Catherine Connolly was a “decent woman” but her views were “different to mine” and described her as “far left”.
She made the comments at the Jameson Distillery in Dublin’s city centre where she appeared alongside Minister for Finance Paschal Donohoe.
Ms Humphreys outlined her pitch for the presidency, where she said she “won’t let this country down” when representing Ireland abroad.
She said that, as president, she would travel on trade missions in conjunction with the minister for enterprise, as well as put a focus on trade during state visits.
She said that “whatever money spent on trade missions is well spent, because the benefits come back to Ireland”.
“The president goes on various different state visits, and I think it’s very important that on those visits, you put a big focus on trade,” she said.
“That’s the support that I want to give our companies, our indigenous companies, to find new markets abroad, and indeed, to seek investment for this country.”
Asked if this pitch crossed the line into the government’s remit, and if she was stuck in “minister mode”, she said: “Absolutely not.”
Asked if she was pitching a second enterprise minister, she added: “No, absolutely not.
“I think I will be a president that will speak up for people. I will be a president that will focus on communities, that will focus on the volunteers and the huge contribution that they are making.
“It is my intention to have a community award for people who step up to the plate.
“I’m quite sure that people want to see Ireland being represented abroad, not just on trade missions, but culturally and diplomatically. The president is the first diplomat of this country, when the president goes abroad.
“What I can say to you is, if I go abroad, I won’t let this country down.”
– PA
Good evening,
Niamh Towey here taking over from Katie Mellet on the Irish Times presidential election live blog for what is shaping up to be a busy night.
Both candidates will be interviewed on live TV over the coming hours, and we will bring you the top lines from each.
Heather Humphreys will be interviewed by Katie Hannon on RTÉ One at 7pm.
Catherine Connolly will be interviewed on Virgin Media at 10pm.
Howlin opting for Connolly
Former Labour Party leader Brendan Howlin confirmed earlier today that he is backing Independent candidate Catherine Connolly in the presidential election, which will take place on October 24th, despite a photograph that was shared on social media over the weekend of Fine Gael candidate Heather Humphreys with Howlin.
Carroll McNeill not listening to Yates
Minister for Health Jennifer Carroll MacNeill has told former Fine Gael minister turned media presenter Ivan Yates to keep his advice to himself when it comes to elections, reports David Raleigh.
She was responding to comments made by Yates, who called on Fine Gael to “smear the bejaysus out of” Independent presidential candidate Catherine Connolly, who is up against Fine Gael’s Heather Humphreys in the race for the Áras.
Ms Carroll MacNeill told reporters in Limerick on Monday, “I don’t really listen to Ivan Yates. Ever since, I think, he predicted that I wouldn’t get elected in 2020, did I stop listening to him then? Or did I stop listening to him when he predicted that Sinn Féin were going to take 70 seats in the last election? Or is it his gloriously inconsistent, patchy political analysis? I can’t remember when I stopped listening to him.
“But I can assure you that Ivan Yates doesn’t have my ear or anybody else in Fine Gael,” added Ms Carroll MacNeill.
Lawless disputes €500,000 estimate for Jim Gavin’s withdrawal
When questioned about reports that Fianna Fáil could end up with a €500,000 bill from its candidate Jim Gavin’s withdrawn presidential bid, Minister for Further and Higher Education James Lawless said he greatly doubted if such a figure is correct, reports Mark Hennessy from the British-Irish Parliamentary Assembly meeting.
“That seems extraordinary. It seems like a lot of money, but presidential elections aren’t cheap. There was a lot of literature published, pamphlets, posters. Five hundred does seem like a high figure.
“I haven’t heard the final figure. It’s certainly in the hundreds of thousands. I don’t know if it’ll reach five. I’ve also heard two hundred and three hundred mentioned,” the Minister said.
“The whole episode is very regrettable and I’m very disappointed. I was a fan of Jim Gavin. I was a fan of what his candidacy spoke to in terms of the hinterland that he came from, in terms of sports, in terms of the Defence Forces, public service,” he said.
Connolly’s views ‘uncomfortable’ for international relations, says Lawless
Minister for Further and Higher Education James Lawless has said Catherine Connolly’s views on international relations would put Ireland “in a very uncomfortable position”, reports Mark Hennessy.
Speaking to The Irish Times at the British-Irish Parliamentary Assembly meeting in Surrey, he said, “I don’t want to have to be explaining to a German minister what [her comments] means in due course. It would put the State, I think, in a very uncomfortable position.”
Mr Lawless spoke in relation to comments Ms Connolly made earlier in her campaign, when she said: “They are absolutely championing the cause of the military industrial complex in Germany as a booster for the economy. It seems to me there are some parallels with the ’30s.”
“I think she’s actually a woman of integrity. I think she’s been consistent. But I would fundamentally disagree with her albeit consistent view on the big-picture issues on the international stage,” said Mr Lawless.
Connolly voted No in Lisbon and Nice referendums
While speaking with Rachael English on RTÉ Radio News at 1pm, Catherine Connolly confirmed she voted No in both Nice referendums and in both Lisbon referendums.
She said she had absolutely canvassed against the Lisbon Treaty on both votes because she had concerns about it. “The first was the building up of the military of Europe and the second was the neoliberal ideology.”
She said that her political consciousness had been “awakened” by the Nice Treaty and was “fully awake in Lisbon”, reports Harry McGee.
Asked if she had voted against the Nice Treaty twice, she said, “absolutely. I have often said publicly, in a sense, that I felt, ashamed is too strong a word for it, I wish I had awakened sooner.
“And I pay tribute to the people on the ground who [were aware] sooner than I was in relation to the militarisation of Europe.”
Following criticisms of her candidacy by former Labour leader Alan Kelly, Ms Connolly was asked if any other former Labour leader had publicly supported her. She said the Labour Party was led by Ivana Bacik who had played a “blinder” on her behalf during the campaign.
She said there was a large momentum behind her on the left and by historical standards she had galvanised the left-wing parties behind her campaign like no other.
She also criticised what she described as a smear campaign against her as well as a Fine Gael campaign “engendering fear and negativity”.
She also vowed that, if elected, one term will “be enough for me.”
“I will do my best for seven years to serve the welfare of people in Ireland.”
It’s getting too personal, says Kelly
Labour TD Alan Kelly, speaking on Tipp FM on Monday morning, was critical of the manner in which Catherine Connolly has answered questions during the campaign.
He also criticised her for pushing out the idea of a “smear campaign”, saying there should never be personalised attacks but she was doing it to “quell proper questioning”.
When it was put to him that some people might see his criticism of her as personal, Mr Kelly denied it, reports Harry McGee.
He said that every issue he has raised was a legitimate political issue. “She’s the one who made a personal comment about me last week. I haven’t made a personal comment.”
Kelly condemns Connolly’s ‘snide’ remark about him
Speaking on Tipp FM on Monday morning, Labour TD Alan Kelly said Catherine Connolly’s remark about him was “snide” and “degrading.”
Last week Connolly, when asked if she was winning over the support of Mr Kelly, said: “I leave Alan Kelly to deal with Alan Kelly. That’s a full-time job, perhaps.”
Mr Kelly said that he was a senior member of the Labour Party and the party should obviously value its own members more than somebody “who has spent the last 20 years basically attacking us”.
He accepted that the party was supporting Ms Connolly in the election but said he had spoken to party leader Ivana Bacik about the remark.
“[Ms Bacik] said she was going to deal with it. It wasn’t a very nice thing for a presidential candidate to say and I trust Ivana will deal with it.”
Kelly will vote for Humphreys ‘by default’
Alan Kelly, Labour Party TD and former Labour Party leader, announced on Tipp FM this morning that he will vote for Fine Gael candidate Heather Humphreys “by default.”
Labour is one of the parties backing Catherine Connolly’s presidential campaign.
“It isn’t good for the country that we have only two people to vote for. And in this scenario, I have to, and lots of people like me in the Labour Party, I can assure you, have to look at which one of these two candidates can represent us best.
“And I don’t think that’s Catherine Connolly, and by default then, what’s left is Heather Humphreys.”
He said his concerns on Connolly have “doubled” since the campaign has begun.
Mr Kelly, a former leader of the party, has made his opposition to Connolly known since before the party backed her campaign.
Connolly in the lead
Independent candidate Catherine Connolly has a lead in the presidential election, according to a new Business Post/Red C poll.
The survey puts Ms Connolly’s support at 36 per cent.
Fine Gael candidate Heather Humphreys is at 25 per cent support.
The online survey was conducted between October 2nd and 7th.
Jim Gavin is at 12 per cent, despite withdrawing from the election on October 5th. His name will remain on the ballot paper.
27 per cent of the 1,001 people who took part in the survey remain undecided.
The margin of error in the poll is +/-3 per cent.
FG accused of ‘politics of fear’
In Sunday’s radio debate, Ms Connolly accused Fine Gael of “the politics of fear ... the politics of smear”.
She said her opponents were making false accusations about her instead of having a “real debate” about the presidency.
Ms Connolly accused Fine Gael of following advice by former minister Ivan Yates, who advised the party in a podcast to “smear” her.
Ms Humphreys denied the charge, saying that Mr Yates has nothing to do with her campaign, adding that he has as much to do with her campaign as Joe Brolly – who apologised on Friday for comments he made about Humphreys on his podcast – had with Ms Connolly’s.
Candidates will ‘speak up’ and ‘speak out’
While speaking on RTÉ Radio’s This Week, both candidates promised to speak up for people if elected president.
Heather Humphreys said she would “never be afraid to speak up, to be a voice for the people of this country, to be the conscience of the nation.”
Catherine Connolly said she would be a president who was “unafraid to speak out” though she acknowledged that “policies are decided by Government.”
Bacik backs Connolly’s EU stance
Speaking before a trade union event on Sunday evening, Labour Party leader Ivana Bacik said she agreed with Ms Connolly, saying she had voted against a number of European treaties. “So I think Catherine is absolutely right. This is not an either/or. You can be a passionate European and still be critical of aspects of the EU and EU policy.”
Asked if the growing influence of right-wing parties across the EU might mean a shift in the union’s values, compelling her to be more critical as president, Ms Connolly said she was concerned about the rise of the right but couldn’t speculate about what might happen in the years ahead.
With the involvement of different parties of the left and the tone of some of the criticism she said she has faced on her campaign, she said “this is the first time that we have united and they are afraid, they are very afraid”.
Connolly insists she is not anti-EU
Catherine Connolly spoke to journalists after Sunday’s radio debate, saying that while she had campaigned against the Lisbon Treaty, she had “probably” voted in favour of other referendums. “I’d say I voted for them,” she said.
Before a trade union event on Sunday evening in Dublin city centre, however, it was put to her that Fine Gael said it had found reports from local media in Galway of speeches she had made during the campaigns of the Nice Treaty and Fiscal Stability Treaty, reports Emmet Malone.
“When I was asked today, I was clarifying that I was most active [in the Lisbon campaign]. I regret not being active in other ones, actually, prior to the Lisbon Treaty,” she said.
“In the Nice Treaty, I was a member of the Labour Party, and I was trying to recall what was the policy. But when the fiscal treaty came, in relation to austerity, I absolutely had grave difficulties.”
“But I was asked the question: ‘With that background, was I anti-European?’ And I said, I’m absolutely a committed European, and I’ve spent a year of my life in Germany, one full year, and then went back regularly. And the European Union is about a lot more. If somebody goes against the militarisation or the blatant neoliberal ideology, that doesn’t mean they’re anti-European.”
Humphreys accuses Connolly of ‘insulting’ allies
The two candidates also clashed on Sunday’s debate on the European Union.
Ms Humphreys said that Ms Connolly had “insulted” Germany, France, the UK and the US.
“That doesn’t go without consequence. If you are a president of this country, you have the meet other leaders,” she said. “And how are you going to speak to talk to them, will they want to talk to you?”
Ms Connolly said she was speaking out in the context of a “genocide” in Gaza and said Ireland’s neutrality was the key to being able to ask questions of powerful countries. She said she was a “committed European and a committed European asks questions”.
At a trade union event on Sunday night, Ms Connolly said she regretted “not being active” in other campaigns against EU treaties when asked about past EU treaties, reports Pat Leahy.
Candidates clash over triple lock
Good morning.
On Sunday, on RTÉ Radio 1’s This Week, presidential candidates Catherine Connolly and Heather Humphreys took part in a debate moderated by David McCullagh, where they clashed over several issues.
One area where they disagreed was their position on the triple lock. Ms Connolly said the triple lock is “at the core” of Irish neutrality.
She declined to say if she would refer a Bill abolishing the triple lock to the Supreme Court, because she would have to consider any Bill when it was passed.
However, she said she believed there should be a referendum on the question.
Ms Humphreys said she was in favour of abolishing the triple lock, but also that she “fully, fully” supports neutrality, pointing out that permanent UN security council members could veto Irish participation in peacekeeping missions.
