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Investigates Investigates Money Diaries The Journal TV Climate Crisis Cost of Living Road Safety Newsletters Temperature Check Inside the Newsroom The Journal Investigates Daft.ie Property Allianz Home The 42 Sport TG4 Entertainment The Explainer A deep dive into one big news story Sport meets news, current affairs, society & pop culture have your say Or create a free account to join the discussion Advertisement More Stories Alamy Stock Photo over and out Covid regrets, Trump meet-and-greets and a lot of foxes: 5 things to know from the final debate If you were hoping to learn something new in the final debate, you’ll probably be left disappointed. 12.04am, 22 Oct 2025 Share options LAST UPDATE 34 mins ago IF YOU WERE hoping to learn something groundbreakingly new in the final live head-to-head TV debate between Áras hopefuls Catherine Connolly and Heather Humphreys, you’ll probably be left disappointed. During the RTÉ Prime Time debate, the candidates were questioned on many of the same talking points that have dogged their campaigns, such as Connolly’s work as a barrister, Humphreys not meeting with the mother of Shane O’Farrell, Connolly’s hiring of a woman convicted of gun offences. There were a few cringeworthy, head-in-your-hands moments too. So what did we learn? Ten uses of the word ‘sorry’ in the space of four minutes Humphreys has been questioned repeatedly throughout this campaign about her dealings with the family of hit-and-run victim Shane O’Farrell. The 23-year-old was killed in 2011 in a hit-and-run by a man who should have been in State custody at the time. Humphreys was a local TD for Monaghan at the time of Shane’s death. Shane’s mother Lucia, has said that she believes Humphreys is “not capable of being the president for the people of Ireland, when she can’t represent her own people in Monaghan”. Presenter Miriam O’Callaghan put it to Humphreys that the “bottom line is that you didn’t bother to meet this mother… So you say you want to be a president for all of the people, but you didn’t meet such a deserving woman in your own constituency”. “I’m really sorry that I wasn’t able to deliver what they wanted.” Heather Humphreys apologies to the family of Shane O’Farrell who was killed in a hit and run near his home in 2011 and says she’s glad they got an official state apology. WATCH:@rtenews | #rtept pic.twitter.com/wv6aWUU7Fc— RTÉ Prime Time (@RTE_PrimeTime) October 21, 2025 When asked did she fail Lucia, Humphreys probably went further than she has in previous answers on this issue. “I did my best, and I’m really sorry if she, you know, I’m really sorry that I wasn’t able to deliver what they wanted. But I’m glad, I really am glad, that they have got a state apology, and I’m sorry that that state apology wasn’t given when I was part of the government.” We counted. In all it was the use of the word ‘sorry’ ten times in the space of just a couple of minutes. Covid regrets There is one thing the two candidates can agree on. They both have regrets around the Covid restrictions. In what was probably the newest piece of information to glean from the debate this evening, both regret endorsing some of the restrictions that were put in place during the pandemic. It was the final question in tonight’s debate. Advertisement Humphreys began by saying that she was a minister at the time, and while the government was following medical advice, she thinks they should have found a way for people to visit their loved ones in hospital when they were dying. Heather Humphreys says one of her regrets is that regulations during the Covid-19 pandemic prevented families from spending time with loved ones in their final days, adding the Government could have handled it better. WATCH:@rtenews | #rtept pic.twitter.com/iOaHrWtQMr— RTÉ Prime Time (@RTE_PrimeTime) October 21, 2025 “What really hits me hard is the fact that there were regulations there where, when your relative was dying, you couldn’t hold their hand, you couldn’t whisper something in their ear. And that stays with me, and I regret that, I really do, because I think we could have found some way.” Connolly, nodding along, agreed with her opponent. From day one, Connolly said she agreed with the government in relation to the restrictions. Asked about personal regrets, Catherine Connolly says hers was agreeing with Government on lockdown restrictions during the Covid-19 pandemic. @rtenews | #rtept pic.twitter.com/GQk8ibOo9o— RTÉ Prime Time (@RTE_PrimeTime) October 21, 2025 “I actually regret agreeing with that,” she said, stating: “I went [along] because the fear was so extraordinary that I went with that. Afterwards, I did not give support to the government… because the bond of trust was broken. “They [the government] gave a commitment that would come back regularly in relation to the review of those restrictions. And that didn’t happen,” said Connolly. She said her personal regret is that she agreed in the first place to the restrictions, saying she did so in “good faith”. Connolly was then, as she is now, an Independent opposition TD. Heather HumphreysAlamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo ‘There’s a lot of foxes around’ Humphreys has been questioned throughout this campaign about representations she made in an animal cruelty case, which has led to a discussion on fox hunting tonight. During the debate, Humphreys leaned into her rural Ireland vote, repeating that it is a “rural pursuit”. It was a term she repeated ad nauseum tonight. While she said she doesn’t go fox hunting herself, she believes it is “part of our culture”. “It’s part of our heritage and has been there for many, many years,” she said. Presenter Sarah McInerney asked: “Do you think it’s cruelty to animals?” “Well, it’s part of our heritage. Cruelty to animals, in my book, is somewhat different to fox hunting. It’s a rural pursuit and foxes, there’s a lot of foxes around, as we know, ” said Humphreys. Related Reads ‘I hardly know what day it is,’ says Humphreys over Shane O’Farrell inquiry vote query Humphreys questioned about credit union that she managed taking debtors to court Heather Humphreys says presidential race rival used ‘language of Nigel Farage’ She added that once the “controls are in place and once the rules are abided by, I support rural pursuits”. In case you missed it, she supports rural pursuits. Catherine ConnollyAlamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo A bit more clarity on Connolly acting for the banks Connolly was questioned about whether she was transparent enough when it came to her work as a barrister. It is a question that has followed the Galway TD around the country during her campaign. She was asked why she did not answer numerous questions about whether she worked in repossession cases. She responded by stating that she worked with credit institutions, but added that she wouldn’t specify the cases, citing her “duty of confidentiality”. “Did she represent banks in helping them repossess Irish homes? I think Catherine needs to explain,” said Humphreys. Connolly hit back by stating that Humphreys has refused to agree to motions to have a ban on evictions, but the former minister simply said that the independent candidate was avoiding the question. In the end, Connolly said she had been as clear as she could be. She stated she worked for the financial institutions, and while she didn’t utter the word ‘repossessions’, the clear indication was she did work on such cases. Humphreys probably could have pushed harder on the matter, but in the end, she seemed to be satisfied enough with the answer. But does it put the matter to bed two days out from polling day? We’ll have to wait and see. Meet-and-greets in the Áras While Connolly has said she will be a voice for all, she said that – depending on the scenario – she may not be using that voice to speak truth to power when it comes to Donald Trump and Gaza. Asked if she would tell US President Donald Trump that the US enabled genocide in Gaza, Catherine Connolly said it would depend on the situation and “what’s on the agenda” adding she doubted Gaza would feature if she were to meet him.@rtenews | #rtept pic.twitter.com/tK5fHgkAxW— RTÉ Prime Time (@RTE_PrimeTime) October 21, 2025 Questioned this evening on whether she would raise the issue of America’s support for Israel’s assault on Gaza with the US president, were she to host him at an event in Phoenix Park, she said: “If it’s just a meet and greet, then I will meet and greet. If the discussion is genocide, that’s a completely different thing,” she said, adding that she doubted the issue of genocide in Gaza would be on the agenda if she were meeting Trump as President of Ireland. All in all, a bit of a lacklustre debate. Nothing that blows the election wide open, by any means. Now, with just a couple of days to go, its down to the public to decide. 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Access to the comments facility has been disabled for this user View our policy ⚠️ Duplicate comment Post Comment have your say Or create a free account to join the discussion Catherine Connolly Final Countdown Heather Humphreys over and out Presidential Election that's it folks News in 60 seconds Six arrests and one garda injured as Commissioner condemns 'thuggery' of Citywest riot 53 mins ago one battle after another Debate verdict: The stalest of stalemates but Connolly's talking like she's already won Rónán Duffy 29 mins ago prime time players Player ratings: How did the candidates (and the hosts) fare in tonight's debate? As it happened How the final debate of the Áras campaign played out West Dublin Garda van set alight as large anti-immigration protest turned violent in Citywest anniversary tour Westlife to play 10 shows in Dublin as extra dates added Here's What Happened Today: Tuesday West Dublin Garda van set alight as large anti-immigration protest turned violent in Citywest West Dublin Man (26) appears in court charged over sexual assault of young girl near Citywest hotel Citywest Hotel Young girl allegedly assaulted in west Dublin had gone missing from Tusla care The Morning Lead Town missing unit of gardaí after four members injured in two serious assault incidents Niall O'Connor more from us Investigates Money Diaries The Journal TV Journal Media Advertise With Us About FactCheck Our Network FactCheck Knowledge Bank Terms & Legal Notices Terms of Use Cookies & Privacy Advertising Competition more from us TV Listings GAA Fixtures The Video Review Journal Media Advertise With Us Our Network The Journal FactCheck Knowledge Bank Terms & Legal Notices Terms of Use Cookies & Privacy Advertising Competition © 2025 Journal Media Ltd Terms of Use Cookies & Privacy Advertising Competition Switch to Desktop Switch to Mobile The Journal supports the work of the Press Council of Ireland and the Office of the Press Ombudsman, and our staff operate within the Code of Practice. 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