The independent presidential candidate Catherine Connolly has described as "a new low" comments by her Fine Gael opponent for the role, Heather Humphreys in a newspaper interview, that she had tried to make money out of people's misfortune by representing banks in home repossession cases during the property crash.
In an interview in the Sunday Independent, Ms Humphreys pointed to her work as a credit union manager prior to entering politics and to Ms Connolly's work as a barrister for banks in home repossession cases and said there was a clear difference between the two candidates.
Ms Humphreys said she never tried to capitalise on other people's misfortune "and to make money out of it".
Reacting this afternoon in Galway, Ms Connolly said she had performed each role in her life as professionally as possible, and she said she trusted the Irish people and the democratic process to select the next president.
Watch: Comments by Humphreys 'a new low', says Connolly
"Certainly, the campaign has reached a new low by Fine Gael - absolutely, a new low," Ms Connolly said.
"This is a new low and I am just going to keep going until Thursday, building on the momentum that is there.
"The momentum has been there since July and it has been building in intensity all the time. Certainly, I will let the people of Ireland decide and that is really the important thing."
Asked by RTÉ News if she wanted to address the substantive point about her representing banks in home repossession cases during the property crash, Ms Connolly said: "I have addressed this over and over again and for the candidate for the presidency to misuse that in the way that she has is just a new low. It's just a new low."
Connolly needs to say exactly who she was working for - Humphreys
Following this morning's comments from Ms Connolly, Ms Humphreys said her opponent needs to come out and "say exactly who she was working for and how many homes were repossessed".
"It's very simple," Ms Humphreys said.
"People have asked me what’s the difference between Catherine and I, and Catherine and I before we went into national politics. I reflect on what Catherine was doing and Catherine was working for UK banks," she claimed.
"... and when I look [at] what I was doing, I was working in a community organisation, I was working in the credit union. I was actually helping people to stay in their houses and help them through what was an extremely, extremely difficult financial situation," she said.
Watch: Connolly needs to say exactly who she was working for, says Humphreys
When asked why she would make these comments now, Ms Humphreys said it is "important that people realise what the president is going to be like, and I can tell you what I am going to be like".
"The people of this country have a very clear choice. They can elect somebody that is a centre ground … if they want extreme left politics, they can vote for the other candidate, and that is a very stark difference between the two candidates," she said.
When asked if she believes Ms Connolly is "extreme left", Ms Humphreys said: "Well, Catherine can explain it herself, but she's associated with, let's face it, Mick Wallace, Paul Murphy, Claire Daly, the Communist Party. These are extreme left people who are supporting her."
Not pro-EU if someone stands against treaties, says Martin
Meanwhile, the Taoiseach and Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin confirmed that he was referring to people like Ms Connolly when he said people needed to "stand up against the corrosive and cynical euroscepticism of those who pretend to be pro-EU but in practice invest all of their energy in attacking the union".
Mr Martin made the remarks during his speech at the annual Fianna Fáil Wolfe Tone Commemoration at Bodenstown Cemetary in Co Kildare.
During his speech Mr Martin said: "You're not pro-EU if you stand against every treaty which has built the union over the last quarter of a century.
"You’re not pro-EU if you claim it’s controlled by a wealthy elite and can never find a positive word to say about it.
"You’re not pro-EU if you constantly say that it’s destroying our neutrality and is in the hands of a military-industrial complex," Mr Martin said.
Speaking to the media after the ceremony, Mr Martin said: "I think Catherine is in that camp. There's no question about that."
He said he was also referring to "Sinn Féin, along with other parties on the left who constantly, first of all, vote against European Union treaties, but also talk about Europe as if it's a warmonger or if it's a military industrial complex".
Days out from the presidential poll in which Fianna Fáil is no longer running a candidate, Mr Martin was asked about the timing of his comments.
"The timing is what it is," he said "there is no harm in saying that, we have to stand by our principles, politics is not unanimous across the country and I am calling out what is a true feature".
Mr Martin said that he had articulated his strong support for Ms Humphreys but he said that the party "as an entity" would not be directing supporters to support either candidate.
"We believe that would be counterproductive to be frank," Mr Martin said, "people are in a democracy and will vote in accordance with their preferences".
A spokeswoman for Ms Connolly declined to comment when contacted by RTÉ News about the Taoiseach's comments.
Connolly has said one thing and done another, says McEntee
Meanwhile, Fine Gael Minister Helen McEntee said it may not be the choice they thought they would have but people need to choose what kind of a candidate they want.
Speaking on RTÉ's This Week programme, she said: "There are two candidates, but people need to choose what kind of a candidate they want.
"I have worked with both Heather Humphreys and Catherine Connolly," Ms McEntee said, "and Heather Humphreys has never changed who she is, while Catherine Connolly has said one thing and done the complete opposite."
"I am not saying that Catherine Connolly did anything incorrect in her career as a barrister," Ms McEntee said, "but she has come into the Dáil and castigated those same banks and people that she worked for in repossession cases."
'Don't want to see a president for the Government' - Cullinane on backing Connolly
Speaking on RTÉ's The Week in Politics programme, Sinn Fein TD and health spokesperson David Cullinane said "people have a straight choice in this campaign".
Explaining why he is supporting Ms Connolly rather than Ms Humphreys, Deputy Cullinane said "I don't want to see a president for the Government, I want to see a president for the people and I believe that person is Catherine Connolly".
The Sinn Fein TD continued that "I'm proud to support her campaign, it's a very positive campaign as opposed to the smear campaign of Fine Gael especially over the past number of days and weeks".
He said Ms Connolly "believes in Irish unity, social justice, she's talked about carers, people with disabilities, people left behind", and said he believes criticism of her will not "cut through".
On the same programme, Social Democrats TD and health spokesperson Padraig Rice said he is "very proud" to be supporting Ms Connolly's campaign, saying she is "a candidate of integrity and speaks out, and I believe she will make an extraordinary president".
Deputy Rice said "15,000 people have signed up to canvass for Ms Connolly, knocking on doors, of all ages" and said "there are a lot of young people in this country who are really struggling to get a house," saying Ms Connolly has "garnished huge support".
Also speaking on The Week in Politics was Government chief whip and Fianna Fáil TD Mary Butler, who confirmed she will vote for Ms Humphreys on Friday.
Deputy Butler acknowledged that Jim Gavin is still officially on the ballot as a Fianna Fáil candidate and that six Fianna Fáil TDs have said they will still vote for him, but said that as he is no longer campaigning she will vote for Ms Humphreys.
Additional reporting by Fiachra Ó Cionnaith
