Heather Humphreys appears to row back on comments about Catherine Connolly's work

Asked about her earlier comments about 'capitalising on people's misfortunes', Ms Humphreys said: 'I never mentioned Catherine's name in all of that'

Fine Gael presidential election candidate Heather Humphreys speaking to the media at Merrion Square Park in Dublin on Tuesday. Picture: Gráinne Ní Aodha/PA

Fine Gael presidential election candidate Heather Humphreys has appeared to retreat from comments she made about her opponent Catherine Connolly's work as a barrister.

Last week, Ms Humphreys said she had never "capitalised on the misfortune of people" in her work, as Fine Gael ratcheted up its criticism of Ms Connolly for not declaring her work with banks in her Dáil contributions.

“When I look back at my time as a credit union manager, I’m different to Catherine because before Catherine got into politics and before I got into politics, she was working for UK banks to repossess Irish homes,” Ms Humphreys told the Sunday Independent.

“I was working as a credit union manager, and I was trying to help people with huge financial difficulties that they face and I was trying to keep them in their homes.

“I have always tried to help people. I’ve never tried to capitalise on somebody’s misfortune and to make money out of it. And that’s the difference — and I have a very, very clear record on that."

Asked about those comments on Tuesday, Ms Humphreys initially denied that her comments referenced Ms Connolly, before saying: “I don’t know… Catherine worked for or represented banks to repossess homes. And that’s the fact. I don’t know if she got paid for it or not."

Asked if this meant that being paid would mean Ms Connolly profited from misery, Ms Humphreys appeared to row back somewhat.

“I'm not saying that. I'm not saying that at all. I'm speaking about what I said, that I did a lot of voluntary work. I did a lot of work with people, and I never did say that. I never mentioned Catherine's name in all of that,” Ms Humphreys said.

Ms Humphreys was speaking as a number of independent junior ministers backed her candidacy for president, with Michael Healy Rae saying that Ms Humphreys was someone "who has common sense, who supports live exports, rural pursuits — whether that’s greyhounds, whether it’s race horsing, she has always been to the fore in all of those issues".

“What I would call fundamental, down-to-earth, common sense stuff. Not airy fairy nonsense.”