Good morning and welcome to our live coverage of the presidential debate on Newstalk’s The Pat Kenny Show. 

We’ll be bringing you all the key moments as they happen from 9am. 

There’s only a few minutes to go before the debate gets underway – if you fancy a cuppa, now is the time to put the kettle on.

Unusually enough, this will be the first ‘standing up’ debate of the election so far. All of the others have been done sitting down.

We believe there’ll be podiums involved. 

And we’re off – and we have podiums. 

Newstalk Newstalk

The first question goes to Catherine Connolly – what is so special about you that you deserve to be our first citizen?

The Independent candidate says Article 12 of the Constitution obliges the president to take a public and solemn vow to serve the welfare of the people of ireland, and that is what her candidacy is about.

“I believe I have the characteristics necessary for a president, given my track record and given the various roles that I have served in. I have an ability to listen, to hear and to reflect,” she says.

“I have an ability to reflect before I speak on any topic, and to realise that quick retorts are not helpful.”

Kenny says Connolly would be expected to leave her political prejudices at the door of the Áras, but she says she does not have political prejudices. 

“I have stood proudly as a TD since 2016. I will stand proudly and humbly as President of Ireland for the reasons that I’ve articulated.”

The same question is asked of Heather Humphreys. 

The Fine Gael candidate says she brings a lot of life and political experience to the job.

“I spent many years working as a credit union manager, and I saw the challenges that people face first hand on the ground. I’m a mother, I’m a grandmother, and I have three beautiful grandchildren, and I think ‘what kind of an Ireland do I want to see them grow up in?’.”

She says she wants to see an Ireland that is compassionate, unified and shows dignity and respect. “I have a track record in bringing people together, in unifying people.”

Asked about her record in government, she says she’s never had the advantage of being able to stand on the opposition benches “and say exactly what I wanted to say, but I stepped up”.

She cites her record as minister, bringing in the hot school meals programme in schools and introducing auto enrollment. 

The two candidates are being questioned about President Michael D Higgins’ decision to run for a second term after previously stating he would only serve one term. 

Humphreys says Higgins “is very, very popular” and has done a great job.

“I’m sure he only intended to serve one term, but he got the opportunity to return, and he was very, very popular, and he got 70% of the vote the last time,” she says, adding that she will only serve one term if elected.

Connolly agreeds that Michael D “has served the people of Ireland very well”. She says he’s very popular and has had the courage to speak out on certain issues.

Asked if she would be in favour of shortening the seven-year term the President serves, Connolly says no. “I think seven years is a good term to serve as President of Ireland.”

From terms to themes, Pat Kenny asks Connolly and Humphreys about the theme of their respective campaigns. 

Humphreys says hers is community. “I’ve been, I’d say, in nearly every parish in this country, and I see the work of communities right across the country. I see the work of volunteers, so I want to support them.”

She says she wants to introduce a community recognition award by the President “so that people are recognised”.

The second theme of Humphreys’ presidency is unity. “We live in a divisive world, so I want to bring people together,” she says, saying she is “very conscious of the divisions” that still exist in Northern Ireland. 

Connolly says polling day will be 80th anniversary of the UN Declaration of Human Rights, “and I think that’s significant for me and for the country”.

She says she will be a voice for peace “at a time where a voice for peace is utterly necessary”, and a voice for a united Ireland.

“I would love if that happened during my tenure, and if not that, at least all the groundwork and preparatory work will have taken place.”

Reminded that the President really can’t get involved in that, Connolly says there is a role for the President in reaching out to different communities. 

“The Áras. 130 acres. Too much?”

That’s the next question. 

Humphreys says she didn’t realise it was 130 acres. 

“That’s not what’s attracting me to this job. This job is about service. This job is about uniting the people of this country.” She says if elected, she would “bring the Áras to the people”. 

Connolly says the Áras is “a wonderful asset for the people of Ireland”. She says she will be exploring what possibilities are there in relation to biodiversity projects, if that’s possible. 

Kenny then asks them who will be living in the Áras with them if they are elected. “Myself and my husband” is the answer from both candidates.

Political Correspondent Jane Matthews has some analysis on the debate so far:

So far, this has been a unique debate – I’m not sure if the candidates have ever been asked to reflect on the acreage attached to the Áras? The question certainly caught them both off guard.

While Pat Kenny appealed to both candidates to engage directly with each other at the outset, we haven’t seen much of this.

Connolly was the first to take a go at her competitor, saying: “Unfortunately, Heather is a government candidate endorsed by Fine Gael”.

Humphreys has so far not engaged in any direct attacks on Connolly, a notable change in approach since Sunday’s RTÉ Radio One debate.

There was an interesting revelation there from Connolly during the discussion on whether Michael D Higgins should have served just one term, when she said her campaigning so far has felt like seven years.

What’s been an intense few weeks for both candidates has to be taking a toll.

No groundbreaking revelations just yet, but we have a bit to go. 

Pat Kenny says one of the powers the President has is the ability to refer a Bill to the Supreme Court if they have concerns about it. He asks what would have to be wrong with the bill for each candidate to refer it. 

Connolly says it is “a very restricted role”. She says as President, it is vital that they listen to the advice of the Council of State and expert advice to decide whether the Bill is in compliance with the Constitution. 

She rejects that she is an “anti-establishment figure” and says as President, she would listen to expert advice on the specific issue of whether the Bill complies or doesn’t comply with the Constitution.

Humphreys also says she would listen to the advice of the Council of State, adding that as President, she would like to appoint more women to the Council of State.

The debate now moves to the Special Criminal Court.

Connolly says she believes it should be abolished “but I’m not alone in that”, adding that the majority of an expert group recommended that the SCC be replaced with a new court. 

She says her views on the matter would not come into it because as President, “that’s the law of the land. We have no choice but to uphold the law of the land.” 

Humphreys says she supports the Special Criminal Court, and takes the opportunity to point out that Connolly “employed somebody in the Dáil that was convicted by the Special Criminal Court on firearms charges”. 

The story was first reported by The Journal. 

Connolly says “the facts are there”. She says the Special Criminal Court found the woman guilty and she served a prison sentence. She says she left before her term was up in prison, “such was her rehabilitation record”.

“Conflating that with my attitude to the Special Criminal Court is not acceptable to me. The Special Criminal Court is the law of our land till we change it.”

She says she finds it unacceptable “that this person’s privacy has been trespassed upon”. She says accusations and allegations that she interfered in some way with an appeal process are “absolutely unfounded”.

I did everything right, and so did the person.

She says the person was an example of a success story in relation to rehabilitation and came highly recommended from TDs,in particular former Fianna Fáil TD Éamon Ó Cuív.

Humphreys says Connolly brought this person into the Dáil without the necessary Garda clearance for six months. She says the person “posed a risk to our national parliament” and says as a politician, you’re supposed to have Garda clearance before you bring people into the Dáil to work for you. She then says you can bring people in on day pass.

“Heather has just confirmed you bring somebody in on a day pass,” Connolly says. 

“You bring people in on a day pass for maybe two or three weeks, if you have to, because you’re waiting,” Humphreys retorts, not six months. 

Heather Humphries is asked about an animal cruelty case that was dropped five years ago. 

She says she received a letter from a constituent and her office sent it without comment to the Department of Agriculture because it’s related to the department.

She says she abhors animal cruelty. “People who don’t look after their animals shouldn’t have them, and that’s my position on that.”

She says that she did not know the constituent and had never met them before. Asked if she read the letter before passing it on to the Department, she says she “glanced” at it.

The letter was sent by my staff to the Department of Agriculture. I had no further role or input into that.

Humphreys is also questioned about Lucia O’Farrell, the mother of hit-and-run victim Shane O’Farrell who was struck by a car and killed in Co Monaghan in 2011. The car was driven by Zigimantas Gradzuiska, who was out on bail at the time. 

Earlier this year, Shane’s family received a State apology with Justice Minister Jim O’Callaghan telling the family the justice system did not protect Shane like it should have. 

Last month, Shane’s mother Lucia told The Irish Times that she believes Humphreys is “not capable of being the president for the people of Ireland, when she can’t represent her own people in Monaghan”.

O’Farrell said she was “terribly disappointed” that Humphreys did not support the family’s campaign for a public inquiry into failings in the criminal justice system surrounding Shane’s death.

Asked about the matter now, Humphreys says her “heart was broken” for Lucia.

“I did make representations on her behalf, and I’m sorry if she thinks I didn’t do enough. I did my best, and I’m glad that she has got a State apology.”

Connolly is then asked if she represented banks in repossession cases when she worked as a barrister. 

She says she represented “lots of people in my career as a barrister”, including banks, credit institutions and people who were the subject of orders for possession.

Kenny says barristers have ways of turning down cases if they don’t want the work. Connolly says they are obliged to take the cases. 

The Bar Council of Ireland recently reaffirmed the so-called ‘cab-rank rule’ and said that barristers should be considered independent and not identified with the causes of their clients.

The candidates are asked for their thoughts on US President Donald Trump.

Humphreys says she respects his mandate, but “you never know what you’re going to hear from Donald Trump”.

She adds that he has “done a lot of work in terms of getting a peace deal in Gaza, and that is to be commended”. 

Connolly says this is just phase one of the peace deal, and there’s “absolutely no mention of the details in relation to will this peace last or not, and no recognition of what has led to this genocide over the last two years”. 

She says of Trump:

Somebody who funded and armed genocide is now being proposed as the recipient of a peace prize.

Connolly is pressed on her support of the Triple Lock, with Kenny asking why she would want to give Russian President Vladimir Putin a veto on Irish peacekeeping troops. 

She says the Triple Lock is at the core of Ireland’s neutrality, calling it a policy “that’s proactive, and the best defence that we have”.

“No lesser a person than the Taoiseach told us it was at the core of our neutrality,” she says, referring to remarks Micheál Martin made in 2013. She says if the government want to remove it now, it should go to a referendum.

She says she is not giving Putin a veto, stating that the veto is ”part of the infrastructure of the UN, unfortunately” and says that the UN must be reformed. 

Asked if she wants the Triple Lock gone, Humphreys says no, but says the legislation for removing it will go through the Oireachtas and “it doesn’t matter what her personal opinion is”. 

But she says: “The way it is at the minute, the third part of that lock is asking the UN for permission, and it can be vetoed by the UN Security Council.”

The debate is coming to an end, and we get some quickfire questions from Newstalk listeners. 

One listener asks if Connolly would invite Clare Daly and Mick Wallace to the Áras. She says this is all speculation and criticises the line of questioning she has been faced with regarding Daly and Wallace, referring to them as “two respected parliamentarians”. 

When Kenny points to their stance on Russia and Ukraine, Connolly says: ““We differ on many things. My campaign is made up of many parties and none who support the values that I stand for, without necessarily agreeing with everything.”

Humphreys is asked if she supports fox hunting. She says she has never been fox hunting in her life, but says she supports “rural pursuits”. 

“Which includes fox hunting,” Kenny says.

“There’s a lot of controls in place around rural pursuits, and I think once the rules are abided by, I support rural pursuits,” Humphreys responds.

When put to her again that this includes fox hunting, she says “that includes, once people abide by the rules”.

She adds:

I support the right of rural people to continue on with the pursuits that they have been doing for many, many years.

And with that, Pat Kenny wraps up the third head-to-head debate.

“I was going to ask you what kind of a disaster it would be if the other got the job. I’m not sure you want to contribute to that particular question,” he says, to laughter from both candidates, before thanking them both. 

That was a lively encounter between both candidates – second, arguably, to their clash on RTÉ’s This Week on Sunday. 

However, with so many media appearances in the last few weeks, it’s fair to say that most of us are familiar with the talking points being put to both Connolly and Humphreys – and their prepared answers to them.

If you want to watch the debate back in full, you can here.

So, how do you think they fared this time around?

If you want to rate the performances of Catherine Connolly, Heather Humphreys and Pat Kenny of out ten and see how your thinking compares with other readers, you can do it here.

Our Political Correspondent Jane Matthews has summed up all of the main points and key takeaways from the debate. 

You can read her piece here. 

With that, we’re going to wrap up the liveblog. Thanks for joining us.

We’ll have more news on the presidential election on the site today and in the run-up to polling day, which – in case you need a reminder – is 24 October. 

All the best.