Heather Humphreys campaign team uploads new video of Belfast trip after 'mistake'

Germany's Reichstag building featured in the original video. Picture: Markus Schreiber

The Heather Humphreys campaign team has deleted and re-uploaded a video of a visit to Belfast, which originally featured footage of Germany's parliament.

Ms Humphreys visited Belfast on Monday, including trips to Ulster University and several other venues, including St Dominic's School on the Falls Rd, which counts former president Mary McAleese as a past pupil.

On Wednesday, the campaign team for Ms Humphreys uploaded a video of the visit in which she pledged to be "a president for all". 

However, instead of footage of Belfast City Hall, the video used a clip of the Bundestag in Berlin, with a German flag visible flying above.

After the Irish Examiner queried the mistake, a new version of the video was uploaded, featuring the correct building.

Belfast City Hall. File picture

A spokesperson said: "A mistake was made in production and has been rectified. Where issues are brought to our attention, we seek to address them quickly.”

During last Sunday's presidential debate, Ms Humphreys said she would "work to build bridges" in the North and had a "unique understanding" of its communities.

"I've been to the North many, many times, I don't just go on day trips," she said.

Meanwhile, independent candidate Catherine Connolly has deleted a social media video which contained clips of President Michael D Higgins.

The video featured clips of the outgoing president, as well as former presidents Mary Robinson and Ms McAleese.

None of the figures spoke about Ms Connolly in the video, but it did contain clips of her supporters talking about the Connolly campaign.

The video opens with a narrator asking, “Why should Catherine Connolly be Uachtarán na hÉireann?"

It then shows one supporter saying that the “president represents Ireland on the world stage”, while brief clips of Presidents Higgins and former presidents Robinson and McAleese play in the background.

Permission to use the clip of President Higgins was not sought, it was suggested. 

The Irish Examiner understands that the footage used did not belong to Áras an Uachtaráin. 

The video has now been deleted.

The Irish Independent reported on Wednesday morning that Ms Connolly would not take down the video.

A few hours later, RTÉ reported that Ms Connolly was “not aware” of the report suggesting that her campaign had refused to remove the clip of President Higgins.

On Wednesday afternoon, Ms Connolly issued a statement hitting out at an “inaccurate and misleading RTÉ report published today regarding a campaign video”.

“At no point was there any refusal or disagreement of the kind suggested in the report,” a spokesperson said.

“The video in question was amended following standard editorial review. The matter was handled in the normal way and resolved without any issue.

“The implication that there was any controversy or refusal simply does not reflect the facts. It distracts from the real issues in this campaign — fairness, community, and integrity in public life.”

Speaking at the National Ploughing Championships last month, President Higgins said he would be staying away from the 2025 presidential race.

“I don't intend to be involved in any sense in the election of my successor.”