The first televised presidential debate between Independent Catherine Connolly, Fianna Fáil’s Jim Gavin and Fine Gael’s Heather Humphreys took place on Virgin Media on Monday night.
Here is a flavour of some quotes from the three hopefuls.
Independent Catherine Connolly
On Germany’s military spending: “As a mother, as a TD, and as a candidate in this election I am extremely worried about the military industrial complex that’s building up, particularly in Europe, Germany just being one of the examples because they’ve actually said it very openly, that that’s what their economy needs and it’s a boost to their economy.”
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“There’s certainly a threat posed by Russia. But in terms of meeting that threat, we should be using diplomatic approaches. We should be trying for peace. We’re a neutral country, and we should be using our voice, small and all as we are, we should be using our voice to push for peace. And you know, when we look at the military industrial complex ... and we see countries reducing their welfare budget. Choices are being made while poverty rises.”
[ Catherine Connolly should keep her inner Basil Fawlty under wrapsOpens in new window ]
“This is a presidential election, and I’m an independent candidate. I made my decision because it was the right decision ... I didn’t base it on party support, nor on the money I add. Obviously party support is very welcome. I’ve made that clear. But as an independent candidate, I’m not a part of any party but I welcome and it is momentous and historical that the parties have come together to give a new vision for this country, precisely when we need it.”
“The language of division and saying the country is full is abhorrent. It’s just abhorrent to everything I stand for. However, a vacuum has arisen to a certain extent in Irish society ... that vacuum has allowed for certain voices to be raised very loudly ... that allows this particular group to turn their anger in the wrong way and on the wrong people and the use of the symbol [of the tricolour] in the wrong manner.”
[To Jim Gavin] “At what point did Israel achieve its military objectives? When 20,000 were dead, when 30,000 were dead? You made the comment.”
“I would hope there is a united Ireland within my term of president.”
Fianna Fáil’s Jim Gavin
“There is a geopolitical crisis, there is a war ongoing in Ukraine ... There’s a war on the eastern border of Europe. Each country has a choice to make, to defend their democracy, to defend their sovereignty. That is a given right. I’m sure the German government could be spending their money elsewhere in welfare, but what choice do they have? What choice do Estonia have, Latvia have? They need to protect their sovereignty.”
“If you follow the policy of the triple lock that we have now, that Catherine supports, we won’t have any peacekeeping. There has been no peacekeeping mission approved since 2014. That’s 11 years being vetoed by Russia and other member states. I’m proud of neutrality. I wore the uniform of peacekeeping on behalf of the Defence Forces, I proudly served with Óglaigh na hÉireann. I wore the blue helmet. I wore the flak jacket. I’ve seen the benefits of our peacekeeping role and our neutrality and how well that was respected in Africa and the Middle East and other nations.”
“I’m not here to defend the Government, I’m here to support the Defence Commission in terms of investing in the people I’m very proud of, and Irish people are very proud of our Defence Forces.”
“People have a right to put the [tricolour] flag where they want ... for me that flag speaks to inclusion and people have a right to put the flag where they so choose to.”
“It is simply not good enough and the Government need to do more [on the housing crisis]. I’m the parent of two teenage kids. I’m at a loss as to how they will get a house in a couple of years’ time ... The president can’t build houses. What the president can do is keep highlighting the issues of society, and the issue of housing will be the defining issue of our leaders in Government, that we elected, not our president.”
Fine Gael’s Heather Humphreys
“In relation to Germany, we saw on Saturday night there were thousands of drones bombarded a city in Ukraine. If it hadn’t been for the defences that Germany had put in there – four people were killed – thousands of people would have been killed. The aggressor here is Russia and Europe has to defend itself. We really do.”
“There has been increased investment [in the Defence Forces] over the years and we need more, it’s as simple as that.”
“It is a disaster for the people who can’t get houses. They are putting their lives on hold, they’re putting off making decisions because they can’t get a house. I know a lot of effort and a lot of money has gone in to try to solve this problem. The bottom line is we need to see results and we need to see more houses being built and this needs to happen, it needs to happen now.”
“The Government I was part of did achieve many things ... I have to accept that we did not achieve all that we should have achieved in housing ... It’s a complex problem. Every Minister for Housing did their best, they really tried, but we did not achieve what we wanted to achieve.”
“I believe in a united Ireland. I’m a proud Ulster woman and I’m a proud republican in the same way as the United Irishmen of 1798 and Henry John McCracken ... We need to work towards uniting people first. As John Hume said, you must unite people.”
