Connolly warns of ‘politics of fear’ as Humphreys says rival ‘insulted allies’

Catherine Connolly has claimed “politics of fear” is being used against her after Heather Humphreys said she has “legitimate questions to answer”.

Ms Humphreys accused Ms Connolly of insulting allies of Ireland, but Ms Connolly insisted in response that she is a “committed European”, and claimed Fine Gael is “worried”.

The two women are the only candidates in the presidential race after several high-profile figures failed to secure nominations from elected politicians and after Fianna Fail’s Jim Gavin withdrew.

A Business Post/Red C poll, carried out from October 1 to 7, put Ms Connolly on 36%, Ms Humphreys on 25%, and Mr Gavin on 12%.

Mr Gavin withdrew from the race on the evening of Sunday October 5.

In a Sunday Independent/Ireland Thinks poll published last Sunday, Ms Connolly was on 32%, nine points ahead of Fine Gael’s Ms Humphreys on 23%. Mr Gavin was on 15%.

Ms Humphreys said after an on-air debate that opinion polls are not affecting her style or strategy.

Ms Connolly claimed Fine Gael is “worried”, which was “very, very evident” from comments made by former minister Ivan Yates who said the party needs to “smear the bejaysus” out of Ms Connolly.

“I haven’t heard Fine Gael distance themselves from those comments,” she said.

Asked if she believes Ms Humphreys, who said she is not involved in a smear campaign, Ms Connolly said: “Heather has said that, but actually today there was a lot of allegations against me without any basis whatsoever.

“They’re going down the road of throwing as much as they can.”

During the debate on RTE’s This Week programme, Ms Connolly rejected claims from Ms Humphreys that she is not pro-business or pro-Europe, and described allegations that she had insulted allies of Ireland as “inaccurate”.

She said: “I have been pro-business all my life. My father was a qualified plasterer and then became a small builder. I fully understand the business side.

“I’m absolutely pro-European. Asking questions of the military industrial complex and the direction that the compass is going in Europe, it’s not the same as anti-European. I’m a committed European and a committed European asks questions.”

Ms Humphreys said: “You’ve managed to insult our allies. You’ve insulted Germany, you’ve insulted France, you’ve insulted the UK, our nearest neighbour, you’ve insulted the US.

“That doesn’t go without consequences. If you’re a president of this country, you have to meet other leaders and other heads of state, and how are you going to speak to them? How are you going to talk to them?”

Ms Connolly said: “There were so many things said there that I’ve insulted people. I don’t recall ever insulting anybody in my life.”

She added she “would hope” Russia would withdraw from parts of Ukraine it has occupied since 2014 as part of a future peace agreement.

“Obviously, you can’t invade a sovereign country, but at some stage, sense has to prevail,” she said.

The dust is still settling on the dramatic shake-up to the presidential election caused by Mr Gavin’s withdrawal a week ago.

Taoiseach and Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin addressed a party event on Saturday night, telling the gathering he is sorry “for how things turned out”.

He told media at the event he is “glad” the issue that prompted Mr Gavin’s withdrawal had been “resolved”, after Mr Gavin reportedly repaid his former tenant 3,300 euro.

Mr Gavin withdrew from campaigning for the presidency after Sunday World deputy editor Niall Donald claimed he tried to recover 3,300 euros in overpaid rent from Mr Gavin 16 years ago.

Mr Martin said he would vote for Ms Humphreys in the presidential election, but said it would show “a certain degree of arrogance” if he told his party how to cast their votes.

Ms Connolly said Mr Martin was “entitled” to back Ms Humphreys and that it had “clarified” that “the people of Ireland have a clear choice to make now”.

Speaking on RTE Radio, she said Mr Martin’s support for Ms Humphreys indicates there is “no difference” in the philosophies of Fine Gael and Fianna Fail.

“We all knew that for a long time, and he’s actually set it out now and confirmed it,” Ms Connolly said.

“So I’m saying to the ordinary members of Fianna Fail, you know my track record in the Dail, you know my history in relation to standing up for social justice, for equality, for violence against women, and in relation to the north.”

Ms Humphreys said if Fianna Fail supporters were going to vote for Mr Gavin, “I would ask them to give me their number two please”.

Ahead of the debate, Ms Humphreys remarked that she could apply for a job in RTE, referring to all the broadcast debates she has taken part in, while Ms Connolly said “here we go again” as she entered the radio studio.