Fine Gael presidential candidate Heather Humphreys condemned the Gaza crisis as “absolutely horrific and wrong,” calling for urgent global accountability.
In addition to stating that she supported Irish neutrality, Ms. Humphreys launched her campaign in her home county of Monaghan and endorsed government proposals to alter the triple lock.
Among those present at the launch event were Tanaiste and Simon Harris, the leader of the party.
During a press conference, Ms. Humphreys praised departing President Michael D. Higgins for speaking up "for the people of Ireland" regarding the Middle East issue.
She added:
“What is happening in Gaza is absolutely horrific.
When I look at the television and I see parents carrying their children wrapped in white sheets to bury them.
I see people who are maimed, I see people who are starving.
What is going on in Gaza is wrong.”
She added:
“The fighting needs to stop, there needs to be a ceasefire, there needs to be aid let into that country so people can get fed and the hostages need to be released.”
Ms Humphreys was also asked about plans to change the triple lock, which would remove the requirement for UN backing before more than 12 Irish soldiers can be sent abroad.
She said:
“That is legislation that is currently going through the Dail. I absolutely believe and support our neutrality as a country, it has served us well.
But in terms of the triple lock, I have to say that when I think that Russia and China have a veto on what we can do in this country, I do believe that that does need to be addressed.
We are in an independent country and we are well able to make our own decisions.”
The Fine Gael candidate stated previously at the Monaghan Peace Campus that the three pillars of opportunity, community, and unity will serve as the foundation of her campaign.
The president "represents our values and our hopes as a country – not simply those from any one political tradition or set of beliefs – but all of our hope," Ms. Humphreys said during the occasion.
She added:
“I put myself forward conscious of those who have served with such distinction before me and I do not pretend to be perfect.
I want to bring my life experience and the values that have shaped me as a person to the office of the president.”
She said:
“Throughout my life I have always sought to break down barriers and reach out the hand of friendship.
I want to focus on using the presidency to listen to people, hear their story and where there is division try and facilitate reconciliation and understanding.”
She added:
“I believe every citizen should have the opportunity to achieve their true potential. I’ve seen what people can achieve when they’re given a fair chance.
My own story is living proof that regardless of your background, Ireland is a country of opportunity. As president, I want every child growing up on this island to know there are no limits to what you can achieve.”
Mr Harris said Ms Humphreys was a “Presbyterian Republican showing us all what true republicanism means”.
He added:
“Seeking to unite instead of divide, giving us a shared past instead of a contested one.
Helping to build a shared future.”
Mr Harris said it was fitting that the launch event was taking place at the Peace Campus close to the border with Northern Ireland.
“I am very conscious that we are just a stone’s throw away from the border between north and south on our island,”
he said.
“And on that short journey towards the border, and beyond, you travel through communities that bear the scars of conflict and division.
Communities, and indeed, families, who lived through a period where at times peace never felt further away. It is this very venue – the Monaghan Peace Campus – that symbolises just how far we as a society have come.”
He added:
“For Heather Humphreys, her story, as a politician, and indeed as a person, is all about connections.
Connecting communities the length and breadth of the country, bringing them together, making them feel welcome, supported and included. She still burns with that same passion to help and serve our nation and make a difference.”
Aogan O Fearghail, the former president of the GAA; Julie Sinnamon, the former CEO of Enterprise Ireland; and Joe Healy, the former president of the IFA, all gave comments at the ceremony in favor of Ms. Humphreys.
She called Ms. Humphreys a "peacemaker and bridge-builder."
On Friday, October 24, the presidential election will take place.
Jim Gavin, a former manager of the Dublin Gaelic football team, is the Fianna Fail candidate. Catherine Connolly, an independent, has gained support from many smaller parties.
Whether Sinn Fein would have a candidate in the election is still up in the air.
What did Heather Humphreys say about Irish neutrality in her launch?
At her campaign launch, Heather Humphreys gave strong
backing to Ireland's neutrality and firmly stated "that as an independent
state, which we are, Ireland has the sovereign right to make decisions
independent of other countries, such as China or Russia."
She stated that she "firmly believes in Ireland’s neutrality as a guiding principle." But reiterated that it is important that Ireland be able to formulate its own policy and do what it wants.
She supported the government's proposal to change the "triple lock" by letting Irish soldiers serve abroad without needing United Nations backing if they are serving in excess of 12 Irish soldiers.
Humphreys acknowledged the position of neutrality, while also needing to be independent and make its own decisions for itself as a nation in the world continues to change.