'Movement growing around' Catherine Connolly at presidential campaign launch

Presidential candidate Catherine Connolly formally launches her presidential election campaign at The Complex, Smithfield in Dublin. Picture: Niall Carson/PA

Catherine Connolly has said her presidential campaign is a “movement” to prevent Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael getting a “gift on a plate”.

The Galway West TD formally launched her campaign in The Complex in Smithfield, Dublin, on Monday evening.

Ms Connolly has the support of People Before Profit, Labour, and the Social Democrats. Sinn Féin announced on Saturday that it would not run its own candidate, adding that it intended to support the Independent TD’s campaign.

Ms Connolly is expected to lodge her nomination papers on Tuesday afternoon. Mary Lou McDonald, Holly Cairns, Paul Murphy, and Marie Sherlock all delivered speeches at the launch.

Ms Connolly told the event that it had been a “torturous” decision to run, but said a “movement” is growing around her.

“Who am I to say I should be president of Ireland?” she said.

“What gives me the right to stand here before you and say, 'I represent you as president of Ireland'?

“It took me quite a long time to come to terms with that and to realise that people see in me the characteristics that they wish to see in a president.

“I'm not presumptuous or arrogant to say that I'm the right person. I'm responding to what people see in me. Sometimes I don't see it myself," she added.

Presidential candidate Catherine Connolly (centre) with Social Democrats leader Holly Cairns (left) and Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald (right) as she launches her presidential election campaign. Picture: Niall Carson/PA

Ms Connolly also told the gathering that her decision to run as leas ceann comhairle and her ambition to stand were to “unite the left” and not to “give a gift on a plate” to Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael.

She added: “I made the decision to stand as president in the same manner.”

Ms McDonald said that Sinn Féin and the parties of the left were “ready to move heaven and Earth” to elect Ms Connolly.

“Catherine will speak out for Ireland's place in the world as a defender of human rights, of peace, of democracy and diplomacy, and she will defend our proud tradition of military neutrality,” she said.

“Let me tell you this: Jim Gavin won't do that. Heather Humphreys won't do that.”

Ms Cairns said that Ms Connolly’s record “speaks for itself”.

“She's dedicated her whole life to using her voice on issues like disability, climate, housing, and on Gaza, to stand up for the most marginalised,” she said.

Green Party leader Roderic O’Gorman, meanwhile, remarked that his experiences with Ms Connolly when he was a government minister “show me that she has the skills needed for this particular role”, citing debates on immigration and mother and baby homes in the Dáil from just the last government.

Senator Eileen Flynn said that Ms Connolly’s presidency would be “just what it says on the tin”, suggesting she would “future-proof our future generation”.

“Catherine Connolly is a true candidate for the presidential role, and I believe she'd have no problem — she won't ask him for his opinion, or anything of the sort — speaking and saying to [Donald] Trump, ‘he's welcome, or whatever else that goes with it',” she said.

“She could represent all of us in this country.”