Presidential Election 2025

I don't know if it is accurate, it is what she said though.

I get where Connolly is coming from. The person she wanted to hire was a good fit for the job (even a very high ranking member of FF felt so) and served her time for a crime committed in the past. I for one don't see an issue with rehabilitated convicts being re-integrated into society.

As was said already, HH needs to get up off her arse and start going after CC in the debates.

The problem with that is there is a good chance she will get said arse handed to her by CC.

FF and FG are still stuck in chivalrous politics. This sometimes puts them at a disadvantage when faced with the radical Left which is more messianic and in my opinion better at oratory.

OK - iv read the article.

Not sure where to begin, but, really i must do the following before i continue.

@awec @Podge_irl @Brendan Bendar - and anyone else i debated with last night;

I have to concede here - You called it correctly. Genuine apologies.

I was sincerely viewing this as a nonsense story, of someone failing a Garda Vet - It now appears the lady made it inside the building - the story is growing legs. As well it should. I apologise if i appeared snarky or stupid in my defence. I always proceed on the basis of offering genuine criticisms, without embellishment. I believe myself to be on firm ground in criticizing CC on issues of Foreign Policy. On the story as it appeared yesterday, i did not see the serious issue that you called early on. And well done on that.

Happy to concede, hope there is no hard feelings.

From the NEW article

It is unclear when Ní Shionnáin began the vetting process. Connolly said that Ni Shionnáin had “filled out her application form from day one”.

However Seán Ó Fearghaíl, who was Ceann Comhairle at the time, gave a different timeline to The Irish Times, and said that she only began the vetting process after beginning work.

“We became aware that somebody was there [Leinster House] who would not have gone through the normal vetting process. We asked them to undertake that vetting process. They left before that process began,” he said.

Speaking at a meeting of EU leaders in Copenhagen earlier this morning, Taoiseach Micheál Martin was asked about the issue and heavily criticised Connolly’s judgement. 

The person Connolly had sought to hire, he said, had been “a member of an organisation that did everything to undermine the Irish peace process”.

“And I think Catherine Connolly needs to clarify that in its entirety, and be fully transparent in respect of it, but it is a very, very serious issue.”

The key for me here, is that the lady began working having undergone no vet. Honestly that reeks. The fact that the lady appeared before a Dail committee for the Irish Language is all the more baffling now. Who was it that called her. Was CC involved. What exactly was the nature of the ladies appointment, and why was she brought into Leinster house.

Both Judgement, and Conduct are now very much in question here - Its a real campaign issue, and she needs to address it

CREDIBLY address it

If you will all excuse me now, i am busy trying to remove my head from my ass 😂

And the forgiveness aspect actually plays well for the demographics who might be likely to vote for Connolly. The spin on this is amazing. The addition of O'Cuiv changed the dynamics of the story.

This is how Michael D won the election in 2011. He was deemed as the safest pair of hands, after gaffes surrounding many of the other candidates. HH just needs to keep her head down.

Some shocking stuff online about CC friend at the moment e.g She participated in a mock execution of Queen Elizabeth.

https://x.com/TullMcAdoo/status/1973464708645847306

As for Humphreys, has she sunk without trace?

Even money favourite with Paddy Power as of this morning. Quite feasible she could glide to victory in this election by sitting on the sidelines filing her nails and watching the other two self-destruct in very different ways.

Well her judgement is poor. Even before this mornings update on this story, I admitted her judgement was poor on this attempted appointment. But for me that was where the story ended. It was a kin to my saying to CC - 'well, what the hell did you expect, OF COURSE she would fail the garda vet' - a daft decision on her part.

But that was all it was, until this morning. Now its growing the legs, that others could see from the start so. Iv admitted that..

Overall, CC has courted nothing but contraversy during her career, and during this election cycle. its not even a fortnight gone, and already the list of marks against CC is growing. For me the comments on Germany remain the most ridiculous part of it.

• The Hamas comments were very poor - but alas there are a lot of people both here and abroad that dont have any issue with her opinions
• Bringing up the whole 'American Imperialist' rhetoric - again, ridiculous, undiplomatic, inflamatory language - it could do real damage if spoken from the Aras - but also, lot of poorly informed activist lefties lap this all up.
• Her general views on NATO are ridiculous too - but the aforementioned activist lefties also enjoy blaming NATO on everything - the list is endless.
• Her general views on how to end the war between Ukraine and Russia are also flawed. But not unpopular, sadly.

I could go on, there is a long line of silly stands she has taken on issues.

But the Germany comments were abhorent. Pure and simple. They were also GROSSLY incorrect, and seemed to indicate a total lack of objective analysis. The type of opinion i would expect from someone who had barely passed Leaving Cert History. This, for me, is still the most outrageous stand that CC has taken.

Bookies make money off people who think that they know what is going to happen. There will also be supporters placing bets to make their party's candidate seem popular. The thing to watch is the Sindo/Ireland Thinks poll at the weekend. Paddy Power used to run election opinion polls in the past (used RedC from what I remember).

Read the post again. It is the forgiveness angle will play well with the demographics who are likely to vote for Connolly. This story seems to have backfired for FFG and has allowed Connolly to dominate the news cycle. Now, I'm sure that the experts on Journalism here can explain how this will edge out any coverage of Gavin or Humphreys.