Irish presidential candidate concerned by EU 'militarisation'

Catherine Connolly denied that placing an Irish border poll at the centre of her campaign had been the price of securing the political backing of Sinn Féin

The independent candidate for the Irish presidency, Catherine Connolly, has said the EU has gone down a route of further and further militarisation.

Speaking on Irish broadcaster RTE's Katie Hannon Interview Live, Connolly said this "has always been a concern for me and it remains a concern for me".

Connolly said: "As a woman and as a mother, I'm seriously concerned at the direction that countries are going and spending more money on arms and the militarisation while we reduce the money spent on welfare."

She also denied that placing an Irish border poll at the centre of her campaign had been the price of securing the political backing of Sinn Féin.

Connolly said she had previously spoken out on the issue of letting people from Northern Ireland vote in the Irish presidential election.

"The more times that I canvas the more people that are coming up to me from the north saying we wish we could vote for you," she said.

Asked about the hiring of a woman who was previously sentenced to six years in prison for gun crime and who was a member of the republican party Éirígí, she said she had hired her because she came highly-recommended and she believed in rehabilitation.

She said there were no emails to release regarding the vetting process because she had not been involved in this, but had simply written asking why there had been a delay in issuing the woman with a Dáil (parliamentary) pass.

Syrian trip

Connolly also defended her use of the Parliamentary Activities Allowance to fund a trip to Syria in 2018.

Asked specifically about her visit to Yarmouk Palestinian refugee camp in Damascus, she said a "number of people" had shown her around the camp but denied "fraternising" with a pro-Assad militia which is a designated terrorist group who were operating there.

She said it was a fact-finding mission and she returned with a horror for dictatorship, war and destruction.

She again confirmed that she would only serve one term as president if she is elected.

"I'll only serve one term," she said.

"I've used all my energy for three months to serve and to have the privilege of being president and I will give it my all for seven years."

Connolly said she supported a change in relation to Freedom of Information and access to information regarding the office of the presidency but said all such expenses are subject to scrutiny by the Public Accounts Committee.

Asked if her husband Brian McEnery will be taking the kind of public role that other first gentlemen have taken, she said: " I leave that to Brian to decide himself."