Overview
- Recent polling from Business Post/Red C and Ireland Thinks shows Catherine Connolly ahead by roughly 9–11 points over Heather Humphreys.
- On RTÉ’s This Week, the candidates clashed over the triple lock and neutrality, with Connolly calling the mechanism central to neutrality and urging a referendum before any removal, while Humphreys questioned UN Security Council veto constraints.
- Humphreys pressed questions about Connolly’s judgment, denied running smear tactics, promoted presidential involvement in trade missions, and said she supports extending Freedom of Information to the presidency.
- Connolly rejected claims she is anti‑European, confirmed No votes in the Nice and Lisbon referendums, defended a 2018 Syria trip as fact‑finding, and accused Fine Gael of using a “politics of fear.”
- Taoiseach Micheál Martin said he will vote for Humphreys without directing Fianna Fáil voters, Labour TD Alan Kelly said he will back Humphreys despite his party’s endorsement of Connolly, and withdrawn candidate Jim Gavin remains on the ballot.