Presidential Election.

Dont think it was unfair. CC didnt bring it up and when asked it was the perfect example to use the language. Not her fault 2 other candidates can't speak irish.

I really cannot fathom how JG, and indeed his advisors, thought that saying "I was in financial difficultly at the time" was going to be an effective way to defend himself. What about the financial difficulty of his tenant? And if he wants to be the President of the Irish people, he should understand that landlords will elicit very little sympathy from the Irish people at the moment.

I think Jim Gavin should gracefully bow out. He has no plausible retort to the money owed to tenant story which as I understand hasn't been paid back. Also not registering his tenancy with the relevant authorities isn't a good look either. Apart from being high profile, he has been a weak candidate from the get go.

Looks like Catherine Connolly's to lose.

definitely not, especially in GAA circles- that’s mainly all that would have counted. It’s clear to me anyhow he’s not that technically competent as regards as policy and detail

As stated in today's press, HH should emphasise her credentials to promote reconciliation and unity v/v North and South.Other themes I think she could score on would be more encouragement for women and particularly girls in sport as well as community sporting facilities indoor and outdoor for young people ( sadly lacking in many areas ).

A president has F all to do with sporting facilities outside of opening them..

Her big issue is she has served in an FG government that could have done significant things about the issues you mention but haven't. She's also promised while being part of that government she would learn Irish but obviously never has. As for the cross border stuff...a lot of people will see SF giving their backing to CC as being significant in that regard..

I watched most of the debate. Connolly came accross as Comfortable, but like when I heard her on the radio a few weeks back, she avoided many questions.

Gavin struggled with the rent question, and Humphries verbal tick (eh) made her sound less fluent, but she had some good answers.

Still undecided. Connolly or Humphries for me.

I just wish Connolly would answer the questions she's asked. When she's avoiding things she has a big grin on her face - same when the idiot Burke questioned her at UCG.

I saw McAleese first hand in Beijing and she was powerful with the audience, and that's what I'm looking for in our president. A real leader.

I just havent seen it in any of the candidates this time around. I may end up in the polling booth not having made my mind up.

Looking into the JG story on RTE, it seems a banking error led to the tenant overpaying JG, and JG never returned the money. Something very similar happened to me when I moved out of an apartment, and I received the refund within 24 hours of explaining it to the landlord. No reason why JG couldn't have returned the money considering he should never have had it in the first place.

These harmless kid gloves "debates" feel like a job interview for Busáras instead of Áras an Uachtaráin.