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THE SALARY, SYRIA and a vision for the next presidency.
These were just some of the topics Galway TD and presidential hopeful Catherine Connolly spoke about today during her first press conference of her campaign.
Connolly said she is a not a politician seeking office, but a “citizen” looking to serve as president of Ireland.
She said she battled with the decision to run, calling it a torturous decision, but said she told reporters she made the call last week to put her name forward.
So what did we learn?
Connolly told reporters that she believes Northern Ireland is “extremely important”.
“I think we’re going to have united Ireland very soon.
“I think the Good Friday Agreement has set the framework for that… I think tremendous work has been done on the ground with cross-border bodies, and I look forward to the day when we have a united Ireland.
“I absolutely value the diversity, and we must value the different backgrounds in Northern Ireland,” she added.
The salary for the presidency is approximately €350,000. President Michael D Higgins has waived a portion of it over his two terms. When The Journal asked if she would take a reduced salary, Connolly said she will “look at the salary”.
She added that she is “open to ideas on that”.
“I’m certainly going to use it for the common good,” she said.
She said she would discuss it with her team and set out how she would use the salary “in due course”.
When questioned about a trip to Syria she undertook with former TDs Clare Daly, Mick Wallace and Maureen O’Sullivan, she told reporters that she funded the trip herself:
“We went there for a purpose of fact finding. I met no member of government. Indeed, our whole thing was a Palestinian activist… I saw firsthand the destruction of a whole city. I mean, my idea up to then of a refugee camp wasn’t up to scratch really, I was looking at demolition of a city.
“We were shown around by Palestinians. We stayed with them all of the time. After that, we went down to Aleppo. We met the Chamber of Commerce. We had a meeting with UNICEF. We went into a convent, and met a nun, unfortunately who has since died, and many other, many other aspects of that trip. On no occasion had I anything to do with the government, nor did I ever utter one word of support for Assad,” she said.
Connolly says she doesn’t regret her decision to sign O’Doherty’s papers at the time, stating that she did not know her personally but saw her as a journalist who had done some very good work in the past.
“Do I support her in any way? Not at all,” she said, stating that her “judgment call was right at the time”.
There has long been a debate on creating more transparency around the spend on the presidency. While most State bodies are subject to the Freedom of Information Act, the office for the presidency is not.
The office of presidency spends about €7m per year, but the breakdown of that spending is kept under wraps.
Would Connolly change that? She wouldn’t commit to that, only telling The Journal that while she sat on the Oireachtas Public Accounts Committee closely scrutinised the spending, stating that she would hope such scrutiny continues.
Connolly told reporters today that she is proud of President Micheal D Higgins and how he has spoken out about Gaza. “He showed courage when courage was necessary,” she said.
“I would never describe myself as a continuity candidate. I come from a family of 14, and we have all striven to have our own personalities, and indeed, we would take great exception to say we’re following somebody else. I have my own vision and my own support and my own values,” she said.
Connolly said that she will be asking for contributions from supporters, but said parties that are backing her have also offered cash.
“If I had thought about the cost and what’s been estimated, a quarter of a million or a half a million [Euro], I think I’d be overwhelmed, and you wouldn’t stand,” she said.
Connollys said she wants her message to be that “you do not need to be rich. You do not need to have wealth to stand, nor should you need it”.
“Having said that, I will need money, and we will be asking for contributions, because obviously we need a campaign. But the stronger message is we can do this. This is bigger than wealth and money. This is about having a voice, having a vision, and reflecting the people on the ground, in all its diversity, north and south,” said Connolly.
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We could not have a better person for the Irish people
@Tony Gleeson: Totally agree with you. She is determined but stays always civil. She is also not afraid to speak her mind just like Michael D. I dont agree always with her but that doesn’t make her a bad candidate.
@Tony Gleeson: we probably can , and will . The people of Galway took their time to accept her for the Dáil ..
@Tony Gleeson: I have nothing wrong with her integrity and am willing to listen to her…
I don’t agree with some of her views but I will listen… She deserves respect..
@hans vos: what age is she? If she was a great President . She might do two terms.
Don’t know much about her.
Reading that speech, I get the distinct impression that she’s viewing the presidency as some sort of political position where, if elected, she can pursue and further a particular agenda, rather than the simply ceremonial and symbolic role with very limited power that it actually is…
@William Tallon: Except what you read wasn’t a ” speech “. She held a press conference to announce her candidacy for President. What you read were her responses to questions fielded by Journalists of a political nature. The fact your can’t differentiate between them two is telling.
Fergus Finlay would make a great president, all Catherine Connolly has done is criticise the government at every level and never been an actual part of a government that had to make decisions .
@joey toomey: neither has Fergus Finlay been part of a government that had to make decisions
@joey toomey: The man that wants our children to sign up and fight EU wars, No Thanks.
@Ciaran Mcguinness: what ? Finlay was heavily involved with Labour’s Dick Spring era . He was a senile or member of that party , little was agreed without his say so , pivotal in the Robinson Election success and Labour’s success in 1992 . Back room staff are often the puppet masters
@joey toomey: yes he is a sound Man.
@087 bed: Dude, some of those EU countries are also NATO. Ireland isn’t a part of that. Besides, we get involved with the state of our “military”, we’d get curbs stomped. We’ll just ask UK and the rest of Europe to defend us anyway. After all, we did pretty much sweet feck all during WW2. Last conflict we were actively involved in was the Congo Crisis. After that, we just sit back, monitor, and report. Because peacekeeping.
the president will change nothing in your life. it is a pointless role. Why people get so invested in who wins is ridiculious
@Paul Kavanagh: people love elections. Presidential ones tend to be pretty full of scandal and drama
She makes Michael D look like a young lad drinking cans down the canal!
@Dan The Man: seriously? She’s 68, and looks there are thereabouts. Michael D is 84, and looks 84
@Dan The Man: hmmm i misinterpreted your comment….still don’t agree with it tho!
@Kev Kerr: Your wearing serious beer googles lad!
“Can I be the president?”
@John O’Leary: You can be anything you want to be once you put your mind to it John
Any rumours on who FF will put forward?
@Sea Spirit: Geraldine Bryson Nason…
@Sea Spirit: they don’t really have anyone. They’d be better off not wasting money and just let Fine Gael, Connolly, Labour and Independents at it . The rumours are Mary Hanafin want a go. Bad decision for many reasons .
Not impressed with her answers. Especially around the salary, transparency etc.
@Fred: neither am I , waffling about waiting to hear suggestions …not very leader like . But it’s typical politician talk and to be fair to her and to any candidate , they shouldn’t enter auction politics . The salary is down for x amount, take it and don’t be bullied into unilaterally not take the full amount. 7 years of that job is a long time . Who would agree to a reduced salary to what is advertised ? Very few
For all the talk about Mickey Dee doing it , he somehow managed to rack up a very large expense bill over the years .
Spare us please from another Hamas apologist
@gregory pym: ÿou suppor genocide of the indigenous population?
She’s a fluent Irish speaker and could be a great international figurehead to represent both Ireland and the Irish diaspora worldwide.
She’s also a barrister so can more than adequately fulfil the legal aspects of the job, and previously was former Leas Ceann Comhairle, showing her ability to work and facilitate cross-party interests.
I’d hope Non-government parties would set aside minor differences and back her candidacy, rather than risk vote splitting.
Fine Gael presidential candidate Mairead McGuinness attended a gala event five days after a car accident she received damages for “severe and debilitating injuries” that “interfered with her enjoyment of life and all routine and other activities”.
have your say