Presidential hopefuls Heather Humphreys and Catherine Connolly clashed over key issues such as the cost of living, housing, and migration during their latest election debate.
The two candidates appeared on RTÉ’s Morning Ireland, where they addressed their political track records, policy positions, and their visions for Irish unity, reports RTE.
Independent candidate Catherine Connolly said she has always acted responsibly throughout her life, even though she has not held government office. She expressed hope that the movement now forming around her would help shape a new kind of republic.
Fine Gael’s Heather Humphreys responded by saying she entered government and faced difficult choices, noting she did not have the “luxury” of “sitting in opposition talking about things”, reports RTE.
Discussing housing, Ms Humphreys admitted that previous governments she was part of failed to build enough homes. Ms Connolly, however, argued that the housing crisis stemmed directly from government policy.
On migration, Ms Humphreys stated that Ireland is a place full of opportunity and that the economy needs workers, but added that failed asylum applicants must be returned, reports RTE.
Ms Connolly pushed back, saying the rhetoric suggesting “Ireland is full” is both disturbing and unacceptable, reports RTE.
She also addressed her 2018 visit to Syria, where she and others were escorted through a Palestinian refugee camp. The Irish Times recently reported that one of the men accompanying her was allegedly a militia leader involved in attacks on Palestinians in the camp.
When questioned, Ms Connolly said: “No, I wasn’t,” in response to whether she knew about the man’s background, reports RTE.
“You have no control when you go to a country like that as to who will come into your presence or not,” reports RTE.
That’s no endorsement of the regime. I’m on record for condemning the regime, I did not meet with [then-president Bashar Al] Assad,” she said, reports RTE.
She explained her trip was aimed at better understanding the reality faced by Palestinian refugees and noted the refugee camp she visited had been “utterly destroyed”.
She said the people she met “spoke to us as openly as they could within a dictatorship”, reports RTE.
Ms Humphreys also addressed criticism she received from the O’Farrell family, whose son Shane was killed by a drunk driver in 2011. The family had expressed disappointment in her level of support.
“I made representations on her behalf. I’m sorry that she says I didn’t do enough. I’m sorry if that’s the case. I really am, but I did my best,” Ms Humphreys said, reports RTE.
When asked why she voted against a motion for a public inquiry, Ms Humphreys replied that she voted in line with the government.
“There was reason behind that. I don’t know exactly the detail of it,” she said, reports RTE.
On the topic of Irish unification, Ms Humphreys suggested that a devolved government in Northern Ireland, similar to Stormont, could be retained under a united Ireland.
She reassured those in Northern Ireland with a British identity that they had “nothing to fear” from any constitutional changes. As a Presbyterian from Co Monaghan, she spoke from her own experience as part of a minority group in the Republic.
“You could be talking about devolved government in Northern Ireland as part of an overall Irish solution,” reports RTE.
Those are all conversations that we have to have. And there’s no point in pre-empting anything before you go in, you talk to people,” she said, reports RTE.
Galway TD Catherine Connolly said that any future reunified Ireland must “respect and value differences”.
“I will do that as president in as much as I can,” she added, reports RTE.
She argued the current Government is failing to adequately address the issue of unification, pointing out that a report on constitutional change from an Oireachtas committee remains “sitting on a shelf”.
“My vision as president will be to reach out to communities on all sides,” Ms Connolly said, reports RTE.
“I’ve visited Northern Ireland repeatedly, I visited different communities,” reports RTE.
I will facilitate open forums in relation to listening and building on the work that’s ongoing. It’s really important, the meticulous, methodical work that is ongoing by civic organisations on the ground,” she said, reports RTE.
She continued by saying that what is missing is a formal government response. “There was a cross-party committee that reported last year. That report is sitting on a shelf.
That committee asked the Government to prepare a green paper to outline the issues and outline the direction for a united Ireland.
That hasn’t happened unfortunately,” Ms Connolly said, reports RTE.
With voting in the Presidential Election set to begin this time next week, both candidates are now in a critical stage of the campaign as they make their final appeals to the electorate.
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