Presidential Election 2025

Missing this one. Did Heather mention that she lives 6 miles from the border, visited Mary McAleese's old school recently, used to manage a credit union?

Yet she still never answered exactly who organised the Syrian trip.

Political trips are organised by political folk. I am sure those on such trips have the wit and intelligence to see through any airbrushing of the truths. One can get a picture of horror despite the individual who is acting as ‘ tour guide ‘

Some might say that’s why she’s allegedly 2-0 up😀

I didn’t hear this debate but sounds like I missed nothing - both candidates are just reiterating the key messages they decided on, on day 1- every “debate” is the same now and I don’t see the RTÉ debate next week being any different.

I’m starting to wonder how all of this is organised and agreed? Is one candidate saying yes to everything and the other then has to go along with it for fear of being criticised for not participating?

I can’t remember this level of interviews and debates in previous elections - it’s complete overkill - even if you missed a debate you can play it back any time you want .

Obviously CC is winning the debates and interviews so it’s been advantageous to her on many different levels - but it’s still overkill - would we have had the same number if there were 4-5 candidates I wonder?

Someone has to tell Humphreys to stop throwing in factually wrong jibes, ('Some here supported Brexit') because she just succeeds in getting her arse handed to her when the reply comes, every time.

Humphries losing won't take out Harris. I don't think many people are drawing a line between those two the way they are with Martin. It's very much wishful thinking.

If Connolly wins, Bacik's position in Labour is much stronger. Labour's only way back from the political wilderness (as inflicted by Alan Kelly and the other FFG leaning Labourites) is as part of a combined Left with a potential voting pact. The reality for Labour hit home when it didn't have enough TDs and senators to nominate a Labour candidate and didn't have the money to fund a campaign. It is no longer a Tier 1 party along with FF, SF and FG. Despite the FFG leaning Labourites backing Humphreys, backing Connolly was probably the only way of Labour remaining somewhat relevant.

Anyone have a link where I can Listen back. Really appreciated thanks in advance

From 57 minutes on Approx

Morning Ireland Friday 17 October 2025 - Morning Ireland

So Heather claimed yesterday that Paul Murphy was Catherine Connolly’s campaign manager, and this morning she’s saying Connolly supported Brexit.

Yet no interviewer is calling out these lies? The desperation is really starting to accelerate. Ivan is probably cheering it on from the sidelines.

I can see that point. Labour have been soft left and it has reaped its reward for them at times. Going further left will actually probably only throw them further into obscurity imo. They have on many occasions been seen as an alternative voice for centrists who weren't happy with FF and FG. Going further left dilutes that vote and places them as having little more hope of reaching power than pbp, and any raft of independent leftists, competing with them even. Rather than challenging the dominance of SF the centrists seeking change from FF/FG, they are helping SF take over from the old Labour. SFs celebration of a Connolly win will be heard the loudest when this is all over. The split in Labour over their backing her will get more headlines than their backing of her.

Im still listening to the debate, and il give my thoughts after it finishes.

Not going to get into the weeds on Paul Murphy. I felt it was a stupid topic for Humphreys to raise, im unsure whether Murphys defamation case will be successful; but it was tactically moronic to bring the Joan Burton incident into this election. Since you mention it, Im assuming it comes up in this debate, IMHO needlessly, and broadly benificial to Connolly I think. Big miss-step for HH to make this a campaign issue

On Brexit and the EU, its far more complicated. CC has a long history of opposing EU treaty reforms, and campaigned for NO in many such referendums. She is associated with the Left Wing eurosceptic faction, that sits in the EU Parliament, and I dont think this fact can be credibly denied. This block is not seeking to form a Left Wing majority in Brussels, but rather campaigns to strip down and degrade the functioning of the EU as a whole. The bloc originates from the 1970s and i personally have always associated it with the positioning of Tony Benn in the UK

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bennism

It is not a stretch to say that, Connolly is eurosceptic along those lines, and people need to really do some homework on this. No, its not the same as UKIP adjacent nationalism, and no valid comparison can be made to Farage, or Orban et al. But she remains, IMHO, a left leaning Eurosceptic, and its valid to question this positioning as it relates to suitability for the role of President.

On Brexit, her immediate response in the days after, does indicate level of satisfaction on her part; You can read into it what you want, but she praised the brexit vote, as 'standing up to EU Bullys'. And immediately attacked the grass roots 'Second referendum' movement, that had not fully emerged yet. Its not a smear to highlight these things.

Anyway, im gonna listen on and then give my impression of the debate as a whole.

I believe Catherine Connolly would suck up to the Catholic Church as president. Where does she stand on issues involving the Catholic Church such as sexual abuse by their priests, the Magdalene laundries or mother and baby homes ? Should the Catholic Church not be required to contribute financially toward people affected by the church's past misdeeds ?

As much as I believe that CC is not suitable for the roll of President, i have seen no evidence that would indicate she would be influenced by the catholic church. She supported marriage equality, and repealling the 8th. By all means you can research her stances on other issues, but I havent seen any evidence of her being anything less than secular. All of which i would agree with BTW