Controversy continues to surround this year’s Presidential election, but where does the race stand following the first one-on-one debate between the remaining two candidates?

Newstalk’s Political Correspondent Seán Defoe said that with only two opponents left in the running, both got “much more of a grilling”.

“If you look at Catherine Connolly, it was over the comments she made on The Hard Shoulder the other day that she would consider hiring someone with a sexual offences conviction to work for her,” he told Newstalk Breakfast.

“[She] sort of backpedalled on that and said anyone who was on the sex offenders register, she wouldn’t hire.

“Then on Heather Humphreys, she was kind of skewered over her ministerial record and austerity, her role in that, whether the government could have done things differently.”

Minister Heather Humphreys, seen in this file photo, will take over as Minister for Justice. Picture by: Leon Farrell/Photocall Ireland

Seán said that Heather Humphreys seemed to have switched up her strategy a bit, as she “really went after” Catherine Connolly for her comments about potentially hiring someone with sexual offences.

“[Catherine Connolly] has been the more impressive candidate of this so far – we'll see what the polling is reflected based on Jim Gavin dropping out,” he said.

“But if it turns into a Government versus Opposition, not a great budget this week, I just think there’s a lot of advantages that Catherine Connolly has.

“So, enter, what strategy do you have for Heather Humphreys to go and win this?”

22/09/2025 Dublin, Ireland. Catherine Connolly speaks at the launch of her presidential campaign, Guth na nDaoine, at The Complex, Smithfield, Dublin. Photograph: Sasko Lazarov / © RollingNews.ie

Seán referred to Ivan Yates’ comments on Newstalk’s Calling It podcast, where he said if Fine Gael came to him for a strategy against Catherine Connolly, he would “smear the bejaysus” out of her.

“Look, he’s probably right to a degree because if everything just kept going as it was and everyone was nicely nicely, I think Catherine Connolly ultimately wins this election,” he said.

However, Seán said Ivan made a lot of suggestions that a Fine Gael campaign “will absolutely not endorse”.

Future polls

According to Seán, the latest polls expected to come out this weekend will give an insight into the impact of Jim Gavin’s departure from the race.

Meanwhile, upcoming debates will give the two remaining candidates their last chances to appeal to the electorate.

“Of course, the big one on Newstalk is on the 14th,” Seán said.

“Pat Kenny is going to have the two of them in, that’s going to be live on Newstalk and also on social media.”

Main image: Heather Humphreys (L), Catherine Connolly (R).