Connolly quizzed on EU ‘militarisation’, Syria trip and cats in TV interview

Presidential hopeful Catherine Connolly has said she is “concerned” the EU has “gone down a route of further and further militarisation”.

The Independent candidate appeared on The Katie Hannon Interview Live on RTE on Wednesday night.

Asked about previous controversial comments she made about Germany’s current military build-up, which she compared to the country in the 1930s when it was under Nazi rule, Ms Connolly said: “I expressed my serious concerns about the similarities between now and the 30s, and I use the example of Germany, who’s rebooting its economy, going buying more and more military, more arms.”

When pushed to differentiate between countries building up arms for economic, defensive and aggressive purposes, she replied: “As a woman and as a mother, I’m seriously concerned at the direction that countries are going, spending more money on arms and the militarisation while we reduce the money spent on welfare.”

There has also been much scrutiny throughout her campaign of her decision to hire a woman convicted of a firearms offence, who had been a member of the group Eirigi which is critical of the Good Friday Agreement.

During the programme Ms Connolly said a woman hired by her in the Dail was a “supporter of the peace process, as I understand it”.

When questioned if she asked her employee about her membership of the organisation, she said: “Eirigi is a registered political party. You don’t ask someone if they’re a member of a registered political party.”

Another issue which has dogged the Galway West TD’s path to the presidency is her 2018 trip to Syria.

Questions have been asked about the optics of an Irish parliamentarian being seen with supporters of then-president Bashar Assad.

Discussing an excursion to the Yarmouk Palestinian refugee camp in Damascus, during which she was shown around by members of a pro-Assad militia, Ms Connolly said: “We met quite a lot of people there who showed us around.

“The sole purpose was to understand the refugee situation.”

During the interview Ms Connolly claimed 14,000 volunteers have signed up to her campaign, “the majority of whom have never taken part in an election before”.

However when asked about two people who have not been visible on her campaign, ex-MEPs Clare Daly and Mick Wallace, who were also on the Syrian trip, she said: “I have fairly little contact with Clare Daly and Mick Wallace, because most of the time they’re not in the country.”

Pressed on if she was modifying her political persona to appeal to a wider group of voters, Ms Connolly answered: “I’ve stood honestly and openly in the Dail.

“I have supported the government when it was right on the issue, and otherwise I’ve disagreed with the government.

“I’ve always pointed out constructive solutions.”

The Independent candidate was quizzed about whether she would carry out the campaigning work she has been known for, and in particular, if she would still champion the Women of Honour group which has campaigned on issues of bullying and misogyny in the Defence Forces.

The organisation has criticised the terms of reference of a tribunal set up to investigate discrimination and sexual harassment within Ireland’s military.

Ms Connolly said: “I think I have supported them every step of the way, particularly in relation to their dissatisfaction with the terms of reference.

“But as a president, I have a completely different role.”

Ms Connolly said she “absolutely would support” a change to allow the Office of President to face more public scrutiny by making it subject to the Freedom of Information legislation.

When asked if any animals would be joining her at Aras an Uachtarain, she said she had two black cats, a brother and sister who were known as “Cat One and Cat Two”.

Ms Connolly also said her husband, or “current husband” as she refers to him, Brian McEnery would be likely to bring “more than one” of his beehives with him to the Aras.