Presidential Election 2025

Is there another link available which shows further context etc to the quote that's referenced there?

The quote, as presented there - brought to you by Fine Gael of course - does read it that she's arguing that we don't need an army. It reads like a pretty unambiguous statement: she literally is quoted as saying "We don't need an army"...

Personally I'd lean towards voting CC over HH - without having any major gra for either of them - but I can completely understand why people are questioning what she meant exactly with those remarks... They seem a bit bizarre tbh.

Which is why I'd love to see more context that doesn't come from FG's PR department.

Question asked in 'which candidate'

1. The ‘triple lock’, determining when the Defence Forces can serve as part of an international force, should be retained
2. Ireland should cooperate more with European Union member states on defence
3. European integration has gone too far
4. Ireland needs to invest more heavily in defence and security
5. Ireland should be willing to assist in the defence of any EU member state that is attacked
6. NATO is partly to blame for the war in Ukraine
7. Ireland should unilaterally cut economic ties with Israel
8. Hamas cannot be allowed to form part of any future Palestinian government
9. The president should refrain from publicly criticising government policy
10. The president should keep their opinions on political issues to themselves
11. The president has the power to refer a Bill to the Supreme Court to test its constitutionality. This power should be exercised very rarely.
12. The president should be fluent in the Irish language
13. The president should give back a portion of the €350,000 salary to the State
14. A border poll on a united Ireland should take place within the next seven years
15. Ireland should be willing to change its flag and national anthem as part of a process to bring about a united Ireland
16. Ireland should be willing to rejoin the Commonwealth as part of a process to bring about a united Ireland
17. Ireland should introduce strict quotas on the number of migrants coming into the country each year.
18. Ireland should be willing to send failed asylum seekers to deportation hubs outside the EU’s borders.
19. Minority groups need to be protected with new laws against hate speech
20. Abortion should be allowed in a wider range of circumstances
21. Ireland should celebrate its Christian heritage and seek to uphold Christian values
22. All national schools should come under the patronage of the State, thereby ending religious patronage
23. Gender identity and transgender issues should be taught in Irish schools
24. There should be a right to housing in the Constitution
25. Protecting the environment and tackling climate change is more important than economic growth

Catherine Connolly Answers | Heather Humphreys Answers

@liamtech and others choose a question and discus?

I will pick 2 in my next reply.

6. NATO is partly to blame for the war in Ukraine

My thoughts: - I take it Russia is the aggressor here for invading Ukraine and taking territory belonging to it! And nearby countries need extra security by joining NATO. But a build up of NATO in the areas has also provoked the bear.

• Comment: "Russia alone has brought war back to Europe by attacking and invading the sovereign and independent country of Ukraine. " ~ Heather Humphreys Strongly Disagrees.
• Comment: "We live in a dangerous world of competing military blocs. NATO has engaged in decades of military expansion, a process that has undoubtedly led to increased risk of war. Russia is the aggressor in Ukraine and should end its invasion." ~ Catherine Connolly in the middle with answer.

19. Minority groups need to be protected with new laws against hate speech

My thoughts:- EU have already introduced enough laws through the DSA. See this thread.

• Comment: "Freedoms of speech and expression are important rights. But they must be balanced with protections for any group of people vulnerable to attack. " ~ Heather Humphreys in the middle
• Comment: "Free speech and freedom of expression are important and must be protected. However, immigrant, LGBTQ+ or other communities have the right to be protected, by the authorities and by the law, from those inciting violence through hate speech." ~ Catherine Connolly Agree

Thanks for the extra context.

I still think her comments are a bit hard to interpret though. On one hand she praises the defence forces, but then on the other hand she says we shouldn't have an army. Is it that she disagrees with how we refer to the "military" in Ireland, objects to the terminology itself?

To me it isn't clear what her position is in regard to our own military force. Some of those statements by CC seem contradictory.