Overview
- An Irish Times/Ipsos poll places Catherine Connolly at 38% to Heather Humphreys’ 20%, with Fine Gael figures privately acknowledging the gap may be hard to close.
- Humphreys has escalated calls for Connolly to detail past clients and accused her of double standards over repossessions, while Connolly labels the focus a “new low.”
- Justice Minister Jim O’Callaghan and other legal voices have rebuked criticisms of barristers’ clients, citing the cab‑rank rule that obliges lawyers to take cases.
- EU positioning has sharpened contrasts as Micheál Martin and Simon Harris question Connolly’s treaty votes and she argues she is pro‑Europe but critical of militarisation.
- With the final RTÉ Prime Time head‑to‑head set for Tuesday night and voting on 24 October, campaigns eye low engagement after polling showed high undecided, non‑voting and spoilt‑ballot intent; Humphreys also defended her disability record and expressed sorrow to Shane O’Farrell’s family.