Presidential election: Catherine Connolly responds to question on whether she would employ convicted rapist in Áras

It follows last week’s revelation that Ms Connolly employed a woman in 2019 who was previously convicted of possessing a weapon and ammunition while the Galway TD was working on an Irish language Oireachtas Committee.

The convicted woman, Ursula Ní Shionnáin, was arrested in 2012 alongside three other individuals – including a convicted IRA member – outside the house of an arms dealer in Co Offaly.

Ms Connolly has since defended her decision to hire Ms Ní Shionnáin who, she claims, had “absolutely rehabilitated” during her four-and-a-half years spent in prison.

“I was curious to see this woman and her background and what she had achieved in prison,” she told The Hard Shoulder programme on Newstalk.

“I made a decision to give her work based on her rehabilitation, and I think it’s really important that I keep saying this. I had absolutely no role with anything to do with the vetting of this woman.

“Where are we going as a society if we’re going to punish them again and again?”

She said that the traction gained by the story over recent days has been designed so as to “do me damage”, in spite of Ms Ní Shionnáin’s rehabilitation.

Ms Connolly said she did not ask Ms Ní Shionnáin about her reasons for attempting to acquire weaponry due to hiring her “based on her rehabilitation” alone.

The presidential candidate added that her decision to hire her was “based on suitability of the person”, to which host Kieran Cuddihy asked whether Ms Connolly would hire a convicted rapist in the Áras who was completely suitable for the role.

“I’d have to think about that,” she said.

“As a woman, I react, so obviously I’d have to think about that. Of course, I would have to reflect.”

She also refused to commit whether or not, as president, she would sign off on legislation to dismantle the Triple Lock, the mechanism by which Ireland sends peacekeepers to conflict zones.

The deployment must receive initial approval from the Cabinet and Dáil before being voted on by the UN Security Council which includes members such as Russia and China who possess veto power.

“I’d have to come back to you about my feelings in relation to that,” Ms Connolly said.

“Nobody is in any doubt as to where I would stand in relation to our neutrality and the Triple Lock.”

However, she insisted that there must be a referendum on any decisions to change the terms of Ireland’s neutrality.

“Neutrality is not in our Constitution,” she said.

Only two people remain in the race for the Áras following the decision by Fianna Fáil candidate and ex-Dublin football manager Jim Gavin to withdraw after damaging revelations last weekend that he failed to refund overpaid rent to a tenant living in his property in 2009.

Heather Humphreys of Fine Gael remains Ms Connolly’s only rival, though Mr Gavin’s name will still appear on the October 24 ballot paper, the Electoral Commission has confirmed.