The final debate in the race for the presidential election took place this Tuesday in the Prime Time studio. Candidates Catherine Connolly and Heather Humphries took to the stage to convince the Irish public why they should take on this monumental role.
The debate began with a question directed to both of them on why they would make a better president than the other candidate on the ticket. Humphries claimed she will be a better president as her mid-point stance on politics will help unite the country, while Connolly believes her characteristics make her a unique choice that represents something new for Ireland.
Both women were then asked about certain actions they have made on their campaign, including Connolly avoiding questions on her time as a barrister and Humphries allegedly running a smear campaign on her opponent. Both of these questions were met with a complete denial.
The questioning then turned to the topic of foreign affairs, starting with a question to Catherine Connolly on her comments claiming that Europe has lost all moral compass. The interviewer asked her whether she thinks this will affect our relationship with Europe. Connolly claimed that while she will still use her voice as president, she will do so “as diplomatically as possible”.
On the other end of the spectrum, Heather Humphries was questioned on whether or not she has ever spoken up against Europe. While she answered “yes I have spoken up, of course I have”, she failed to procure an example after being asked seven times. The interviewers were forced to move on after this.
She was then asked whether she thought the US has enabled the genocide in Gaza four times, and was unable to give a yes or no answer. She instead evaded the question by talking of her sympathy for the Palestinian people.
The topic of conversation was then changed to personal judgement. The questioning towards Humphries centred around her failure to meet the mother of a child who died in an accident. She expressed that she has “huge sympathy for the O’Farrell family” but wasn’t able to explain why she never met the boy’s mother.
Connolly was then asked about a fact-finding trip she took to Syria to visit a Palestinian refugee camp. She was asked whether she regrets giving the Assad regime the opportunity to use her as propaganda, to which she responded that “any government can use a picture”, but said that it in no way means she endorses the dictatorship.
The issue of whether the Irish president should know the language of our country was then brought up. Heather Humphries claimed she is learning Irish but lacks the confidence to speak it while Catherine Connolly said she will never criticise someone for not knowing the language.
The topical conversation of immigration was brought up to the candidates. Both women gave their opinion on the situation with Humphries stating that “we need immigrants in this country” but those coming over illegally need to “go back to their own countries.”
The debate ended with both candidates expressing their regrets for how the COVID-19 restrictions were handled. Afterwards, both women shook hands in a display of cordiality.