Election Daily: Is Humphreys playing it too safe?

Election Daily: Is Humphreys playing it too safe?

Author: The Irish Times October 15, 2025 Duration: 24:37

As independent candidate Catherine Connolly and Fine Gael candidate Heather Humphreys enter the final nine days of the campaign, Jack Horgan Jones and Ellen Coyne join Hugh Linehan to launch our daily podcast coverage.


  • A motion of no confidence in Simon Harris over controversies in Children’s Health Ireland and waiting times for scoliosis surgery was itself a presidential election event. 


  • Meanwhile Heather Humphreys has been on the campaign trail in Monaghan, with Ellen following her. It’s safe ground for the former Cavan-Monaghan TD. But is she spending too much time on home turf? 


  • Jack and Ellen compare the Humphreys and Connolly campaigns. Connolly has led in the latest polls, but who has the momentum? 


  • The Humphreys campaign is seeking the support of disenchanted centre-left voters, with help from ex-Greens Brian Leddin and Pauline O'Reilly, who this week said they regret their former party's support for Connolly.


  • The two-horse race means intense focus on the nature of the two candidates. Could that mean the result will be more divisive than presidential elections past? 

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Each week, Irish Times Inside Politics cuts through the noise to bring clarity to the forces shaping Ireland. Guided by host Hugh Linehan, the conversations here go beyond the headlines, offering a deeper, more considered understanding of the political landscape. You’ll hear from the newspaper’s own journalists, who provide grounded insight from the front lines, alongside a range of independent political thinkers and analysts. Occasionally, politicians themselves join the discussion, offering their perspective directly. The result is a nuanced and thoughtful examination of power, policy, and public life that values context over quick reactions. This isn't about partisan soundbites; it's about unpacking the how and why behind the day's debates and long-term shifts. For anyone looking to move past surface-level reporting and grasp the real stories unfolding in Leinster House and beyond, this podcast serves as an essential weekly briefing. The Irish Times brings its tradition of thorough journalism to the audio format, creating a space for analysis that is both accessible and substantive. Tune in for a consistently informed and engaging take on the issues that define the nation's future.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

Irish Times Inside Politics
Podcast Episodes
Election Daily: Who came out on top in the final debate? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 25:40
The two remaining candidates in the presidential election came into the final televised debate of the campaign needing different things.Well behind in the polls, Heather Humphreys needed to come across convincingly while…
Election Daily: Has Fine Gael's 'new low' attack video backfired? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

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Ellen Coyne and Pat Leahy join Hugh to talk about the all the latest from the presidential election campaign. There is one topic dominating the campaign today, or two related topics: Catherine Connolly's record as a barr…
POLL: Catherine Connolly opens huge lead in presidential race [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 21:15
Catherine Connolly holds a commanding lead in the presidential election with just over a week to go before votes are cast, according to the latest Irish Times/Ipsos B&A opinion poll.The poll finds that Connolly, on 38 pe…
Is this the end of the gay rights revolution? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

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Hugh talks to Ronan McCrea, professor of constitutional and European law at University College London, about his new book, The End of the Gay Rights Revolution. McCrea believes that the achievements of the most successfu…
Head-to-head: Presidential election gets confrontational [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 59:02
Ellen Coyne and Harry McGee join Hugh Linehan to look back on the week in politics: · With Jim Gavin gone, the presidential election is now a two-horse race between Catherine Connolly and Heather Humphreys, and a more co…
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Duration: 48:02
Yesterday’s budget spelled out the Government’s tax and spending plans for next year. But what happens after that?Barra Roantee of Trinity College Dublin’s Department of Economics says it is “shocking” that there is no p…