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Catherine Connolly

Catherine Connolly

Independent

I want to be a President for all the people, especially for those often excluded and silenced. I want to be a voice for equality and justice and for the defence of neutrality as an active, living tradition of peace-making, bridge-building, and compassionate diplomacy.

  • Priority:

    I want to be a President who listens. Who travels to every county, not to perform, but to hear.

  • Priority:

    I want to be a President who speaks for peace, not just abroad, but at home - in how we treat one another, in how we care for the most vulnerable.

  • Priority:

    I believe in the Irish language, not only as a link to our past, but as a way of seeing the world that centres interdependence, nuance, and beauty.

These answers were provided by the candidate

Foreign policy and defence
1 of 25 questions
The ‘triple lock’, determining when the Defence Forces can serve as part of an international force, should be retained
  • Strongly agree
  • Agree
  • Neither agree nor disagree
  • Disagree
  • Strongly disagree
  • No opinion
Comment: "I believe in neutrality as an active, living tradition of peace-making, bridge-building, and compassionate diplomacy. The triple-lock is core to our neutrality. It is one of Ireland’s greatest strengths, and I will defend it and the triple lock with determination."

- Catherine Connolly
Foreign policy and defence
2 of 25 questions
Ireland should cooperate more with European Union member states on defence
  • Strongly agree
  • Agree
  • Neither agree nor disagree
  • Disagree
  • Strongly disagree
  • No opinion
Comment: "I'm a committed European but, under Ursula von der Leyen, there has been a terrifying rush to militarisation. Ireland has a proud tradition of neutrality and we should not abandon that to become involved in dangerous NATO or EU militarisation."

- Catherine Connolly
Foreign policy and defence
3 of 25 questions
European integration has gone too far
  • Strongly agree
  • Agree
  • Neither agree nor disagree
  • Disagree
  • Strongly disagree
  • No opinion
Comment: "I am a committed European but the EU is moving in the wrong direction. It is complicit in the genocide in Gaza, is pursuing a terrifying drive to militarisation, and has overseen deepening of inequality. However, an EU based on inclusion, equality and justice can be an expanding force for good."

- Catherine Connolly
Foreign policy and defence
4 of 25 questions
Ireland needs to invest more heavily in defence and security
  • Strongly agree
  • Agree
  • Neither agree nor disagree
  • Disagree
  • Strongly disagree
  • No opinion
Comment: "We have no need for weapons of war. We need homes, disability services, healthcare, and school places for all. But our defence forces must be valued, and paid accordingly. This is what we should invest our resources in."

- Catherine Connolly
Foreign policy and defence
5 of 25 questions
Ireland should be willing to assist in the defence of any EU member state that is attacked
  • Strongly agree
  • Agree
  • Neither agree nor disagree
  • Disagree
  • Strongly disagree
  • No opinion
Comment: "We should of course immediately provide humanitarian assistance and shelter for displaced people in the event of an attack or war. Any military response should be subject to a UN mandate, as is required by the triple lock."

- Catherine Connolly
Foreign policy and defence
6 of 25 questions
NATO is partly to blame for the war in Ukraine
  • Strongly agree
  • Agree
  • Neither agree nor disagree
  • Disagree
  • Strongly disagree
  • No opinion
Comment: "We live in a dangerous world of competing military blocs. NATO has engaged in decades of military expansion, a process that has undoubtedly led to increased risk of war. Russia is the aggressor in Ukraine and should end its invasion."

- Catherine Connolly
Foreign policy and defence
7 of 25 questions
Ireland should unilaterally cut economic ties with Israel
  • Strongly agree
  • Agree
  • Neither agree nor disagree
  • Disagree
  • Strongly disagree
  • No opinion
Comment: "I support the BDS campaign to force Israel to end its occupation and apartheid regime. It is a failure of successive governments that Ireland continues to trade with illegal Israeli settlements in occupied territories and we still await the OTB."

- Catherine Connolly
Foreign policy and defence
8 of 25 questions
Hamas cannot be allowed to form part of any future Palestinian government
  • Strongly agree
  • Agree
  • Neither agree nor disagree
  • Disagree
  • Strongly disagree
  • No opinion
Comment: "Self-determination is the right of every people, enshrined in international law. We know this better than most. I don’t agree with the politics of Hamas, but who represents the Palestinian people is a decision that must be left to them."

- Catherine Connolly
Role of the President
9 of 25 questions
The president should refrain from publicly criticising government policy
  • Strongly agree
  • Agree
  • Neither agree nor disagree
  • Disagree
  • Strongly disagree
  • No opinion
Comment: "The President's role is to uphold the constitution. Section 12.8 of the Constitution says that the President must serve the welfare of the people. I would use my voice as President to ensure that this constitutional requirement is fulfilled."

- Catherine Connolly
Role of the President
10 of 25 questions
The president should keep their opinions on political issues to themselves
  • Strongly agree
  • Agree
  • Neither agree nor disagree
  • Disagree
  • Strongly disagree
  • No opinion
Comment: "Section 12.8 of the Constitution states the President must serve the welfare of the people. The President's role is to uphold the constitution so I would use my voice as President to ensure that this constitutional requirement is fulfilled."

- Catherine Connolly
Role of the President
11 of 25 questions
The president has the power to refer a Bill to the Supreme Court to test its constitutionality. This power should be exercised very rarely.
  • Strongly agree
  • Agree
  • Neither agree nor disagree
  • Disagree
  • Strongly disagree
  • No opinion
Comment: "Under Article 26 of the Constitution, it is for the President to decide, after consultation with the Council of State, if any Bill should be referred to the Supreme Court. The frequency of such referrals cannot be predetermined."

- Catherine Connolly
Role of the President
12 of 25 questions
The president should be fluent in the Irish language
  • Strongly agree
  • Agree
  • Neither agree nor disagree
  • Disagree
  • Strongly disagree
  • No opinion
Comment: "It is important that the President speaks our first language, and ensures that it is respected and visible at the highest level. Statutes in Irish take precedence over English. A President interrogating the constitutionality of any law needs strong Irish."

- Catherine Connolly
Role of the President
13 of 25 questions
The president should give back a portion of the €350,000 salary to the State
  • Strongly agree
  • Agree
  • Neither agree nor disagree
  • Disagree
  • Strongly disagree
  • No opinion
Comment: "The salary for the President is high and I would consider how the salary could best be used to serve the common good and to the benefit of communities all across the island."

- Catherine Connolly
Irish unity
14 of 25 questions
A border poll on a united Ireland should take place within the next seven years
  • Strongly agree
  • Agree
  • Neither agree nor disagree
  • Disagree
  • Strongly disagree
  • No opinion
Comment: "A united Ireland is a key vision and preparing for constitutional change needs to begin now. As President I would promote Irish unity and build support to build an inclusive, united Ireland that embraces all, from whatever background or tradition."

- Catherine Connolly
Irish unity
15 of 25 questions
Ireland should be willing to change its flag and national anthem as part of a process to bring about a united Ireland
  • Strongly agree
  • Agree
  • Neither agree nor disagree
  • Disagree
  • Strongly disagree
  • No opinion
Comment: "The tricolour was conceived as a symbol of peace and reconciliation — green for the nationalist tradition, orange for the unionist tradition, and white for peace between them. It represents the spirit of what a new, united Ireland should be about."

- Catherine Connolly
Irish unity
16 of 25 questions
Ireland should be willing to rejoin the Commonwealth as part of a process to bring about a united Ireland
  • Strongly agree
  • Agree
  • Neither agree nor disagree
  • Disagree
  • Strongly disagree
  • No opinion
Comment: "Commonwealth is a legacy of empire and not an appropriate arrangement for international cooperation based on common interests and mutual respect. I support bilateral and multilateral arrangements with Britain that would help to deepen the relationship between us and between communities."

- Catherine Connolly
Society and economy
17 of 25 questions
Ireland should introduce strict quotas on the number of migrants coming into the country each year.
  • Strongly agree
  • Agree
  • Neither agree nor disagree
  • Disagree
  • Strongly disagree
  • No opinion
Comment: "The Irish have migrated all over the world and contribute to the societies they joined, as migrants do. Quotas are a blunt instrument that ignore our international legal obligations on free movement and provision of refuge. Migration has always existed and we are the better for it."

- Catherine Connolly
Society and economy
18 of 25 questions
Ireland should be willing to send failed asylum seekers to deportation hubs outside the EU’s borders.
  • Strongly agree
  • Agree
  • Neither agree nor disagree
  • Disagree
  • Strongly disagree
  • No opinion
Comment: "Amnesty stated that deportation hubs result in catastrophic human rights violations. The EU must invest in asylum systems that can accommodate and treat asylum seekers with dignity and respect and provide resources and support to the local communities they join."

- Catherine Connolly
Society and economy
19 of 25 questions
Minority groups need to be protected with new laws against hate speech
  • Strongly agree
  • Agree
  • Neither agree nor disagree
  • Disagree
  • Strongly disagree
  • No opinion
Comment: "Free speech and freedom of expression are important and must be protected. However, immigrant, LGBTQ+ or other communities have the right to be protected, by the authorities and by the law, from those inciting violence through hate speech."

- Catherine Connolly
Society and economy
20 of 25 questions
Abortion should be allowed in a wider range of circumstances
  • Strongly agree
  • Agree
  • Neither agree nor disagree
  • Disagree
  • Strongly disagree
  • No opinion
Comment: "Women should have access to free, safe, legal, local, and accessible abortion services. I believe that the 3 day wait should be removed so that women can make their own decisions about their own bodies."

- Catherine Connolly
Society and economy
21 of 25 questions
Ireland should celebrate its Christian heritage and seek to uphold Christian values
  • Strongly agree
  • Agree
  • Neither agree nor disagree
  • Disagree
  • Strongly disagree
  • No opinion
Comment: "As President, I would honour our Christian heritage while respecting all traditions. It is important that the President is a force for inclusion without privileging just one tradition. As President I would actively engage with Christian and other religious traditions."

- Catherine Connolly
Society and economy
22 of 25 questions
All national schools should come under the patronage of the State, thereby ending religious patronage
  • Strongly agree
  • Agree
  • Neither agree nor disagree
  • Disagree
  • Strongly disagree
  • No opinion
Comment: "People should be entitled to have their children educated within or without a religious tradition, if they so choose. However it is unacceptable that there is still a big religious influence in our state schools, and this should be ended."

- Catherine Connolly
Society and economy
23 of 25 questions
Gender identity and transgender issues should be taught in Irish schools
  • Strongly agree
  • Agree
  • Neither agree nor disagree
  • Disagree
  • Strongly disagree
  • No opinion
Comment: "Age appropriate relationships, sexuality and gender education is important so that children can understand and feel comfortable with their own feelings and identity."

- Catherine Connolly
Society and economy
24 of 25 questions
There should be a right to housing in the Constitution
  • Strongly agree
  • Agree
  • Neither agree nor disagree
  • Disagree
  • Strongly disagree
  • No opinion
Comment: "The housing emergency is the defining crisis of our time. Decent housing has become a privilege when it should be a human right. I repeatedly called for a referendum to insert that right into our Constitution and I continue to make that call."

- Catherine Connolly
Society and economy
25 of 25 questions
Protecting the environment and tackling climate change is more important than economic growth
  • Strongly agree
  • Agree
  • Neither agree nor disagree
  • Disagree
  • Strongly disagree
  • No opinion
Comment: "We face a climate crisis and if we don't tackle it we won't have an economy. We need sustainability based on free public transport, more warm, energy efficient homes, and we need infrastructure to support sustainability and high quality public services."

- Catherine Connolly

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