Following the August meeting of the Ard Comhairle, the Workers’ Party is endorsing Catherine Connolly in the 2025 presidential election, which is set to take place on Friday, 24th October.

Though limited in its powers, the role of the president remains an important one. As Michael D. Higgins has shown in recent years, it offers a high-profile platform from which one can comment on the affairs of the day. Notable examples include Higgins’s description of the housing situation as no longer being a crisis but a disaster, his criticism of neoliberalism, and his statements calling for support of the Palestinian people.

With that said, although the role of president is typically considered a purely symbolic one, this is not strictly the case. The most notable power held by the president is that, before signing a bill approved by the Dáil and Seanad into law, he or she can refer it to the Supreme Court to judge its constitutionality. This could be of particular relevance in the coming years due to ongoing questions around Irish neutrality.

With the above in mind, it is the view of the Workers’ Party that, of any of the declared and/or likely candidates to stand in the upcoming presidential election, Catherine Connolly is the most suitable for the role.

As a TD for Galway West, Connolly has rightly pointed out the role of Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil in causing the housing crisis, criticising them for treating housing as an asset to be provided by the private market, rather than as a basic human right. As well, during her current campaign, Connolly has recognised the growing likelihood of Irish unity in the future, and she has spoken on the importance of the Irish language.

Connolly has previously criticised the government over their so-called reform of the triple lock, which in fact is simply their latest attempt at abandoning Irish neutrality. She recognises that these are calculated moves designed to pull Ireland closer to NATO, and has come out in opposition to EU militarisation. She has also highlighted the plight of the Palestinian people and the fact that the Israeli state is committing genocide against them.

At the time of publication, the only other confirmed candidacy is that of Fine Gael’s Heather Humphreys, a government TD through the austerity years accused of political cronyism and a member of the cabinet from 2014 right up until the most recent general election. In Fianna Fáil, former GAA manager and player Jim Gavin appears to be the frontrunner, and has received the blessing of Micheál Martin. Very little is known about what his presidency might represent, other than that it is an attempt by a governing Fianna Fáil to use a celebrity candidate to bring home the bacon. MEP Billy Kelleher, who, through rather disingenuous arguments on the relationship between the triple lock and Irish neutrality, has made clear his wishes to see Ireland drift closer towards NATO, is also standing for the Fianna Fáil nomination.

Additionally, a number of non-party would-be candidates, some of whom have made evident their poor grasp on the powers that come with the role, have also claimed that they are seeking to enter the presidential race. Although it is likely that some of these people are making such announcements purely for publicity, it remains important that a serious alternative is offered.

In reality, on one side of the upcoming election are the representatives of the political parties and the class that are responsible for much of that which ails Ireland. Their candidates are perfect examples of what the role of president should not be: one last go-round on the gravy train for politicians who have made a career out of imposing hardships on the Irish working class, or a celebrity with little to no politics to speak of as soon two months before polling day jumping on the ticket for an establishment party. Can they really be expected to offer serious scrutiny or to represent the views of the Irish people on the issues facing us? On the other hand is Catherine Connolly, a candidate who remains both in touch with and on the right side of the issues impacting and concerning the people of Ireland.

With this in mind, the Workers’ Party encourages all right-minded people to cast their vote for Catherine Connolly in the presidential election on Friday, 24th October.