If elected, Humphreys pledges to continue to call out genocide as Michael D has done

Fine Gael candidate said her presidency would more resemble that of Mary McAleese, on whose work she wants to build

Fine Gael presidential candidate Heather Humphreys was officially endorsed by Kerry South TD Michael Healy-Rae yesterday and they visited the Kingdom of Skills during the 2025 Architecture Kerry festival. The festival continues until October 8. 

If elected president, Heather Humphreys has said she will continue calling out what she sees as genocide committed by Israel in Gaza, as Michael D Higgins has done and is “right to do”.

However, the Fine Gael candidate said her presidency will more resemble that of Belfast-born Mary McAleese, who succeeded Ireland’s first female president Mary Robinson after being nominated by Fianna Fáil and served from November 1997 to November 2011.

Ms Humphreys said: “I want to build on the work of president Mary McAleese. She built a lot of bridges, and she did tremendous work quietly, in the Áras and meetings. She had people talking to each other and trying to break down those barriers. I will build on that work, and I will do everything I can to work towards that.” 

Speaking at Listowel Races in Kerry on Friday, she said more work has to be done in terms of “building bridges and deepening understanding”.

She said she wants to work hard at bringing the unionist and the nationalist traditions in the North closer together.

I want to try and bring them together and build trust because we'll never have anything until we have trust.

“Respect and trust is what we need to move forward to a united Ireland.

'True Republican'

“I believe in a united Ireland based on the Good Friday Agreement, and I am a true Republican based on the values of Wolfe Tone and in the spirit of the United Irishmen.

“There’s no point forcing anything on people because we saw what happened in the UK [with] Brexit, and look what has happened there.

“Look at the divisiveness and the trouble that that has caused.

Mary McAleese greeting people in the courtyard of Dublin Castle following her inauguration as president of Ireland for her second term in 2004. Irish Examiner Archive: Denis Minihane

“So really, there's a lot of work to be done, and I think I'm well placed to do that.” 

As far as Gaza is concerned, she said she had "no doubt about what's happening in Gaza is genocide", calling it "awful".

“It's terrible. We all see it every day.

“[Michael D Higgins] was right to speak out, and the Irish Government recognised a separate Palestinian state, and they were right to do that.

“The Irish State has done a lot. They were the first ones to recognise Palestine, and the rest of Europe is starting to come on board.

“So you can only keep talking and highlighting it, and in fairness to the Irish government, they were not behind in doing that.

“They were one of the first to step up to the plate.”