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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 LIVE: Foreign affairs and Connolly's barrister work first items on agenda as final Áras debate takes place One more Áras debate for the road – follow along with us here. 7.03pm, 21 Oct 2025 Share options LAST UPDATE 27 mins ago THE FINAL DEBATE of the Áras campaign is under way tonight, with Catherine Connolly and Heather Humphreys clashing in the Prime Time studios on RTÉ One. Miriam O’Callaghan and Sarah McInerney are on hosting duties. Updates by Andrew Walsh, Daragh Brophy, Cliodhna Travers, Christina Finn at RTÉ and The Journal team. Asked if she would tell the US president that she believes America enabled genocide in Gaza, Connolly said that she would meet anyone invited by the government as part of her role as President. “I’m giving you a clear answer, but it’s a speculative question,” Connolly 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.” Connolly added that she doubted the issue of the genocide in Gaza would be on the agenda if she were meeting Trump as President of Ireland. She said the genocide “was enabled and resourced by American money, along with other countries,” and criticised Ursula von der Leyen for “standing shoulder to shoulder with Netanyahu.” Connolly added that any such meeting “depends on how I’m meeting them, what the subject is,” saying she would represent “the people of Ireland as best I can.” Analysis from Political Editor Christina Finn in the RTÉ press room: So far, we see Catherine Connolly and Heather Humphreys probably at their most energetic in a debate. Connolly landed the first jibe, saying that ‘unfortunately Heather is more of the same’, linking her back to the government. Humphreys went on the attack when it came to Connolly’s work as a barrister, but the Independent candidate was not for moving in terms of providing any details. While she said she worked for credit institutions, she never uttered the word ‘repossessions’. This could be so as to avoid any social media clipping of the utterance. Connolly repeats what she told us in our podcast earlier, that her voters understand that she is not going to be a politician in the Áras, but she will have to fulfil the role of president – if that means that she has to just have a ‘meet and greet’ with the likes of Donald Trump, then that is just what she will do. This might appease some of the people fearful of voting for Connolly, but it might prove to be a disappointment to some of her supporters. Humphreys was asked for her thoughts on the US’s role in the genocidal war in Gaza. She says what has happened there is “absolutely terrible and horrific” and that Ireland “stands behind the people of Gaza.” She notes she was part of the government that recognised Palestine as a state, adding that the US is now “helping to bring about a ceasefire,” which she says is crucial. While acknowledging Europe was “slow to react,” she stops short of directly saying that the US enabled genocide in Gaza. 10 mins ago Humphreys, pressed to name a time she had criticised the EU, initially struggled to give an example. She said she is “very pro-European” and has always supported EU treaties, “unlike Catherine”. After further questioning, Humphreys said Europe “should have acted sooner in terms of Gaza” and added that she has previously raised concerns about “overregulation in certain areas” at cabinet level. She stressed that EU membership has been vital for Ireland, particularly during Brexit. Asked if she’s ever criticised the EU, Heather Humphreys says she’s raised issues such as “overregulation,” but adds that she knows the benefits of being part of the bloc. WATCH:@rtenews | #rtept pic.twitter.com/lFaKl22o4u— RTÉ Prime Time (@RTE_PrimeTime) October 21, 2025 13 mins ago The debate has moved to foreign affairs. Connolly defends her past comments that Europe has “lost its moral compass,” saying Ireland must “speak truth to power” on issues like genocide and the militarisation of Europe. Asked about her past comments on Europe and the US, Catherine Connolly said she would “speak truth to power” as President and opposes “increased militarisation” in Europe.@rtenews | #rtept pic.twitter.com/Fh0foMsq90— RTÉ Prime Time (@RTE_PrimeTime) October 21, 2025 She says, as president, she would use her voice “diplomatically and in line with the constitution” to call out injustice, warning that rising military spending comes at the cost of welfare, housing, and essential services. 14 mins ago So Connolly’s past barrister work was the first controversy to be raised in tonight’s debate. Who had that one on their bingo card? If you need a primer on what it’s all about, Fine Gael has, in the last week, focused attacks on Connolly’s work as a barrister in which she represented financial institutions in repossession cases. Humphreys and other Fine Gael politicians have claimed over recent days that Connolly has shown hypocrisy in being a critic of the banks and landlords while not saying that she had worked on the cases. In her defence Connolly has said barristers cannot refuse cases and that she was simply doing her job as a lawyer within the rules of her profession. Connollyhas said she took “all types of work” during her career. The Bar Council of Ireland has said that the principle governing this is the ‘cab-rank rule’. This means barristers are precluded from refusing instructions on the grounds that the nature of the case, or the conduct, opinions or beliefs of a client may be unacceptable to themselves. As criticism of Connolly over her work as a barrister continued in recent days Humphreys also faced questions from reporters over the credit union that she formerly managed taking legal proceedings over loan defaulting. Humphreys said that “legal proceedings took place but only as a matter of last resort”. 15 mins ago Catherine Connolly defends her past legal work, saying the courts made decisions based on government policy and that judges “bent over backwards” to avoid granting possession orders. She argues that successive governments – including Heather Humphreys – failed to act by refusing to support eviction bans. Hitting back at Fine Gael’s criticism of her record as a barrister, she says she has been “accused of doing something that there’s absolutely no basis for,” calling the attacks “very low.” 20 mins ago Catherine Connolly insists she has “never avoided a question in my life” when pressed about her past work as a barrister representing banks in repossession cases. She adds that her life “would be easier if I were less blunt, less straight, and less direct.” “I take my roles very seriously. I worked as a barrister for over 20 years, and actually had a lot of different briefs from different clients, I have a duty of confidentiality the court,” Connolly said. Humphreys then challenged Connolly over her past legal work, asking whether she “represented banks to help repossess Irish homes.” She said that Connolly should clarify the issue, adding that while she respects the role of a barrister, politicians “have to be straight, we have to speak up, and we have to tell people our position.” Connolly adds that, during her time as a Galway city councillor, she “could not go into details of clients I represented”. After a short interruption from Humphreys, Connolly added that “there’s absolutely no basis to [declaring her work as a barrister]” 27 mins ago On the same question, Catherine Connolly says she would be a better president than Heather Humphreys, highlighting her commitment to care, compassion, and solidarity. She adds that she would bring a fresh approach compared with “more of the same” from past governments and pledges to serve the country in both Irish and English to the best of her ability. Independent candidate Catherine Connolly has set out why she believes she would make a stronger President than Fine Gael’s Heather Humphreys.@rtenews | #rtept pic.twitter.com/KTqwAMP2NO— RTÉ Prime Time (@RTE_PrimeTime) October 21, 2025 28 mins ago Answering the question on what would make her more qualified president than Connolly, Humphreys says she brings “a lot of experience” to the role and appeals to voters as a mother and grandmother who wants an inclusive, safe, and respectful country. She describes herself as a “central ground” candidate – “I’m not to the far left, I’m not to the far right,” she adds. She then promises honesty, compassion, and service, and urges people to “come out to vote” for her on Friday. 31 mins ago The debate has kicked off, and Humphreys has been asked the first question – what would make her a better president than the woman standing beside her? Humphreys first takes a moment to address the ongoing riots in the Dublin suburb of Saggart. “What we’re seeing unfolding on our television screens this evening is absolutely awful, and we’re seeing members of our gardaí have been attacked with stones and with such things,” Humphreys said. She asks viewers: “If anybody knows anybody at those riots tonight, please tell them to go home. This is not what we are as a country.” Heather Humphreys delivers her opening statement as the final presidential debate gets under way. #rtept | @rtenews pic.twitter.com/dSEwBn9fbs— RTÉ Prime Time (@RTE_PrimeTime) October 21, 2025 A Garda van was set alight and gardaí were targeted with missiles outside the Citywest Hotel in Saggart, following a protest organised in the wake of the alleged sexual assault of a young girl in the area in recent days. In a statement earlier this evening, Justice Minister Jim O’Callaghan said that the scenes outside the Citywest site “must be condemned”. O’Callaghan added that there is no ongoing threat to public safety in the area and that no correlation exists between crime levels and the presence of asylum seeker accommodation centres. 38 mins ago The candidates are officially in the studio – the debate will be kicking off very shortly Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo 46 mins ago There’s only a few minutes to go before the debate gets underway – if you fancy a cuppa, now is the time to put the kettle on. Prime Time hosts the final presidential debate at 9.35pm on @RTEOne. The debate is also available with Irish Sign Language interpretation on @rtenews and the @RTEplayer.@IrishDeafSoc | @studies_centre | @cisli_ireland | @IrishDeafWomen | @CorkDeafClub | @ChimeFor | #ISL pic.twitter.com/41AQ5pb91G— RTÉ Prime Time (@RTE_PrimeTime) October 21, 2025 50 mins ago Catherine Connolly leads Heather Humphreys by 38% to 20% according to the latest Irish Times/Ipsos B&A poll, the first since Jim Gavin’s withdrawal from the race. With many voters still undecided, tonight’s debate offers Humphreys a vital chance to win support and Connolly a chance to cement her lead. Political Editor Christina Finn reports from the RTÉ press room: The candidates are in the building, but neither stopped for questions from reporters standing outside the RTÉ reception this evening. Reporters here to cover the live debate are now all waiting in the press room, where there are TVs for us to view all the action. Thankfully, there are a few snacks too. Christina Finn / The Journal Christina Finn / The Journal / The Journal Our Political Editor Christina Finn will be providing live updates from Donnybrook this evening Like Humphreys, Catherine Connolly scooted by the media, with neither women stopping for a questions from the media.— Christina Finn (@christinafinn8) October 21, 2025 There was no pit stop for Heather Humphreys on her way in to RTÉ Studios this evening – she did ask reporters outside to wish her luck though Want to know more about the two presidential candidates ahead of the debate, or read the latest news about the campaign? Check out our presidential election centre here. Election Centre 2025 You can watch the Prime Time debate at 9.35pm on RTÉ One, the RTÉ News channel and RTÉ player. The debate will also be streamed across RTÉ One’s social media channels. Catherine Connolly was also in Dublin for the day, where she took part in a number of media interviews – including a conversation with The Journal’s political podcast, The Candidate. Catherine Connolly has dismissed Fine Gael's suggestion that she should have declared her work for financial institutions when speaking in the Dáil as "the daftest thing" she has "ever heard". Connolly was speaking to The Journal's political podcast https://t.co/QAwpMCBkQo pic.twitter.com/qvG2nP0SFK— TheJournal.ie (@thejournal_ie) October 21, 2025 She faced questions on on a number of topics ranging from her campaign’s origins, controversies, and future, to the strength of her movement beyond the election, as well as her views on the media and her time as a barrister. Listen to Connolly’s full conversation with The Candidate here. Both candidates were once again out on the campaign trail today. Heather Humphreys was out and about in Dublin city centre, where she was pictured with former Taoiseach Enda Kenny. Delighted to catch up with my former boss and former Taoiseach Enda Kenny 🇮🇪 Grateful for his encouragement and wise words as we head into the final days of the campaign! On Friday 24th October Vote No.1 Heather Humphreys pic.twitter.com/BghGwgBilA— Heather Humphreys (@HeatherH) October 21, 2025 She was later joined at a press event in Merrion Square by independent TDs Michael Healy-Rae, Marian Harkin, Noel Grealish and Kevin Boxer Moran. Humphreys faced questions on her comments suggesting that Catherine Connolly has “capitalised” on people’s “misfortune” by representing banks in repossession cases. Heather Humphreys quizzed again on her comments suggesting Catherine Connolly has “capitalised” on people’s “misfortune” by representing banks in repossession cases. She said today that she “doesn’t know” if Catherine got paid or not for her work representing banks. pic.twitter.com/4A7ns4LDqQ— Jane Matthews (@janeematthews) October 21, 2025 Good evening and welcome to our live coverage of the presidential debate on RTÉ’s Prime Time. We’ll be bringing you all the standout moments as they happen. If you’re feeling a bit worn out after seven (!) debates already, you’re not alone. But sure, what’s the harm in one more? Advertisement Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone... A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation. 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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 Heather Humphreys live from montrose Presidential debate Race for the Áras News in 60 seconds Garda van set alight as large anti-immigration protest turns violent in Citywest anniversary tour Westlife to play 10 shows in Dublin as extra dates added Here's What Happened Today: Tuesday Luas service between Belgard and Saggart suspended ahead of protest at IPAS centre PodcastThe Candidate We sit down with Catherine Connolly ‘I hardly know what day it is,’ says Humphreys over Shane O’Farrell inquiry vote query Trump's promised Budapest meeting with Putin is no longer happening JOB HISTORY Humphreys questioned about credit union that she managed taking debtors to court West Dublin Man (26) appears in court charged over sexual assault of young girl near Citywest hotel Garda van set alight as large anti-immigration protest turns violent in Citywest Citywest Hotel Young girl allegedly assaulted in west Dublin had gone missing from Tusla care 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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