LAST UPDATE | 25 Oct 2025

HEATHER HUMPHREYS HAS conceded the presidential election and has congratulated Catherine Connolly on her election win.

Although the results have yet to be verified, tallies from around the country indicate that Connolly is on course for a significant victory and will become Ireland’s tenth president.

In some areas, tallies indicate that there could be more spoiled ballots than votes for Humphreys. 

Speaking from the Cavan-Monaghan count centre this afternoon, Humphreys remarked that she “got great support” from her home constituency.

According to tallies, she gained the largest percentage of votes in her home constituency.

She told RTÉ that she extended her congratulations to Connolly on “becoming the next President of Ireland”.

“Catherine will be a president for all of us and she will be my president and I really would like to wish her all the very, very best.”

“I have absolutely not one regret,” she added.

Meanwhile, the former Fine Gael minister said that she and her family received some “awful sectarian” abuse during the campaign.

“I would say that I found the piece about sectarianism very difficult,” she said.

“My family and I, but especially my family, were subject to some absolutely awful sectarian abuse and I was disappointed because as a country I thought we had moved on from that.”

She called for a “greater understanding of other traditions in this country” and added that this is ”something that maybe I can contribute towards”.

“There’s a lot of misunderstanding out there and if we’re ever to have a united Ireland we have to respect all traditions.”

Tánaiste and Fine Gael leader Simon Harris has also sent on his congratulations to Connolly.

“She will be President for all this country and for all of us. I wish her every success.”

He added that “her success will be Ireland’s success” and thanked Humphreys “for all her effort” and said that he is “proud of her”.

Former Taoiseach and Fine Gael leader Leo Varadkar also sent his commiserations to Humphreys.

In a post on X, he wrote: “You stepped into the breach, late in the day, when our candidate withdrew.”

This was in reference to the fact that Mairead McGuinness had been due to be the party’s candidate but pulled out of the race on health grounds.

“You’ve carried your home constituency where people know you best,” added Varadkar.

“You’ve held the Fine Gael vote and some. Hold your head high girl.”

Hard luck @HeatherH You stepped into the breach, late in the day, when our candidate withdrew. You've carried your home constituency where people know you best. You've held the FG vote and some. Hold your head high girl.

— Leo Varadkar (@LeoVaradkar) October 25, 2025