Connolly accuses Fine Gael of ‘engendering fear’ against her

By Cillian Sherlock and Gráinne Ní Aodha, PA

Fine Gael is engaging in a campaign that is “engendering fear”, presidential candidate Catherine Connolly has said.

Ms Connolly is running against Fine Gael candidate Heather Humphreys in a race to become the next president, with voting to be held on October 24th.

On Monday, the Independent Galway TD accused her opponent’s political party of running a “negative campaign” about her foreign policy positions on the US, Nato, the Middle East and Russia.

She said: “What’s happening here in the last few weeks is a policy of fear, of diminishing the candidate.

“And I say you’re actually not just diminishing me, you’re diminishing the role of the presidency, and you’re also diminishing the people on the ground who are all actively canvassing for me, actively looking for hope.”

I have always stood as an inclusive candidate, and I think that's very important

Ms Connolly, a barrister and former clinical psychologist, said her election as the first woman to be Leas-Cheann Comhairle showed her record on “judgment” and co-operation.

“I showed that I could share a Dáil, listen to all sides – opinions that I didn’t agree with – meet dignitaries, treat them with respect, absolutely shown what I did in that role,” she said.

Meanwhile, Ms Connolly defended her decision to vote no against the Lisbon and Nice treaties.

She said: “Voting no in relation to a treaty is not a negative thing.

“It’s indicating the concerns that I and lots of people had. And, in fact, in voting no we had to vote a second time on Nice and on Lisbon and we were given absolute, solemn promises in relation to our neutrality that seem to mean nothing at the moment.”

Speaking on RTÉ’s News at One, she added: “Because we are now going down a road of saying that the triple lock is not a core part of our neutrality.”

Ms Connolly has the backing of left-wing independents and parties including Sinn Fein, the Social Democrats, Labour and People Before Profit.

On the support from opposition parties, Ms Connolly said the Labour Party had “played a blinder” for her – despite former party leader and current TD Alan Kelly saying he would be voting for Ms Humphreys.

She also said Fianna Fáil leader Micheal Martin’s expression of support for Ms Humphreys – after his own party candidate, Jim Gavin, withdrew from the race – provided voters with a “clear” choice.

I will be a president that will focus on communities, that will focus on the volunteers and the huge contribution that they are making

Ms Connolly said: “People have a choice now – we’ve seen the Taoiseach of the country supporting Heather Humphreys, and I think the leadership in Fianna Fail have made it clear that there’s absolutely no difference between Fianna Fail and Fine Gael – they’ve made the decision easier for the electorate in that sense.

“I believe that a substantial membership of Fianna Fail are not happy with that, and I would ask them to look to me as the candidate who will best represent them.

“I have always stood as an inclusive candidate, and I think that’s very important.”

Meanwhile, Ms Humphreys said Ms Connolly was a “decent woman” but that her views were “different to mine” and described her as “far left”.

She made the comments at the Jameson Distillery in Dublin city centre, after being asked to say something positive about Ms Connolly amid allegations Fine Gael are “engendering fear”.

Ms Humphreys outlined her pitch for the presidency, where she said she “won’t let this country down” when representing Ireland abroad.

She said that, as president, she would travel on trade missions in conjunction with the enterprise minister, as well as put a focus on trade during state visits.

She said that “whatever money spent on trade missions is well spent, because the benefits come back to Ireland”.

“The president goes on various different state visits, and I think it’s very important that on those visits, you put a big focus on trade,” she said.

“That’s the support that I want to give our companies, our indigenous companies, to find new markets abroad, and indeed, to seek investment for this country.”

Asked if this pitch crossed the line into the government’s remit, and if she was stuck in “minister mode”, she said: “Absolutely not.”

Asked if she was pitching a second enterprise minister, she added: “No, absolutely not.

“I think I will be a president that will speak up for people. I will be a president that will focus on communities, that will focus on the volunteers and the huge contribution that they are making.

“It is my intention to have a community award for people who step up to the plate.

“I’m quite sure that people want to see Ireland being represented abroad, not just on trade missions, but culturally and diplomatically. The president is the first diplomat of this country, when the president goes abroad.

“What I can say to you is, if I go abroad, I won’t let this country down.”

Asked about Lucia O’Farrell, whose son Shane was cycling home when he was struck by a car in Co Monaghan, Ms Humphreys said she could not interfere in an independent process at the time she was justice minister.

The Dáil heard that the day Mr O’Farrell was struck, the driver should have been in jail for breaches of bail conditions.

She said: “I spoke to Lucia O’Farrell at length, the first time I spoke to her. As I said, it was very sad what happened to her son, Shane, and my heart still goes out to her, because the family have had to endure a terrible, terrible loss.

“I did make representations for Lucia and her family on a number of occasions, and I really did my best.

“And I’m sorry if she thinks I didn’t do enough, but I did my best for Lucia.

“I know I was minister for justice, and there was an independent process taking place at that time, I could not interfere in that process, because it could have derailed the entire process.

“Can I just say that I’m glad that Lucia has got a state apology.”