Overview

• A Business Post/Red C poll conducted October 1–7 puts Catherine Connolly at 36%, Heather Humphreys at 25% and Jim Gavin at 12%, while a Sunday Independent/Ireland Thinks poll last week had Connolly at 32% and Humphreys at 23%.
• In a combative RTÉ This Week debate, the candidates clashed over the triple lock and Irish neutrality, with Connolly calling for a referendum to decide its future and Humphreys questioning a UN Security Council veto on Irish peacekeeping deployments.
• Connolly rejected claims she is anti-business or anti-European and said accusations against her reflect a “politics of fear,” while Humphreys said her rival has “legitimate questions to answer” and distanced herself from Ivan Yates’ call to “smear” Connolly.
• Humphreys said she would use the presidency to elevate trade missions and attract investment, as Connolly outlined plans to push preparation for Irish unity and said her first presidential visit would be to Northern Ireland.
• Despite withdrawing, Gavin’s name will remain on the ballot, and electoral officials said transfers from his votes will be examined only if his total exceeds the gap between the two candidates when counting begins on October 25.