Catherine Connolly has welcomed scrutiny as a presidential candidate, having submitted her nomination papers on Tuesday. The left-wing independent arrived at Custom House in Dublin on Tuesday afternoon with her two sons ahead of the deadline to submit nominations from 20 members of the Dáil at noon on Wednesday.
Ms. Connolly has secured the backing of Sinn Féin, the Social Democrats, Labour, People Before Profit, and the Green Party as a joint left-wing candidate.
During her nomination submission, she addressed questions about her views on the IRA’s campaign of violence as well as comments she made on BBC Radio Ulster concerning whether Hamas has a role in a future Palestinian government.
She said:
“Every single conflict is different. What I’ve said about Hamas, I’ve condemned them without hesitation, but I’ve repeatedly said history did not start on the seventh of October. I was asked in that context whether Hamas is a terrorist organisation, and yes, it has been proscribed as a terrorist organisation.”
When asked if she agreed with that designation, she responded:
“Absolutely. What they did on the seventh of October is outrageous, but I will use the time again to point out that genocide is unfolding in front of our eyes.”
Regarding the IRA’s campaign of violence, Ms. Connolly stated:
“I think violence is never justified, and I say that from a position as a mother and a pacifist. Obviously, we have conflicts throughout the world, including in our own government, and we’ve had the Good Friday Agreement, which was wrought out of pain and death and destruction. We have that now, along with many structures following from it, with a view to a united Ireland.”
Ms. Connolly was also questioned about why she did not take questions from the media at her campaign launch on Monday night. She explained:
“We had a joyful evening where we actually just enjoyed the historic moment where we’ve all come together. We don’t agree on everything. We’re never going to agree on everything.”
She added:
“Let me put on the record that I’ve never dodged or evaded a question. I’ve had four press conferences — one in Belfast, two outside the Dáil, and a third one at the Ploughing Championships — facing all of you directly and answering your questions.”
“I’ve made myself available at four open forums in Dundalk, Drogheda, Carrig-on-Shannon, and Sligo. I would like to know what other candidate has made themselves available for such scrutiny, and I welcome that scrutiny. It is the reason I stood when I did — to allow that scrutiny to take place. It’s the least thing that I have to do as a candidate in the presidential election.”
https://www.breakingnews.ie/ireland/catherine-connolly-welcomes-scrutiny-as-she-submits-nomination-papers-1810124.html
