’I’m a tough woman:’ Heather Humphreys steely response on campaign trail in Louth

By Olivia Ryan, The Drogheda Independent

With a steely glare Heather Humphreys shut down questions about her ability to handle the “cut and thrust” of the presidential campaign at a press conference in Blackrock, County Louth this morning.

After the sweetness and light of a coffee shop visit, and plenty of positive engagement with potential voters, the former government Minister was asked if she was “tough enough for the rigours of a presidential campaign” and for what might “come out in the wash over the weeks of it.”

Speaking with reporters, Humphreys shut down questions about her ability to handle the “cut and thrust” of the presidential campaign.

"I’m a tough woman,” she hit back. “I’ve been in politics for over 20 years and my approach may be slightly different to others, but I have a strong resolve, and I always said good leadership was humility with a strong resolve to succeed.”

She defended her political record, saying: “I’ve been a government minister for 10 years. I fought for budgets, for social protection to increase payments. Many ministers tried to get (pension) auto-enrolment over the line, but I did it and it was pure hard work and strong resolve.”

Asked whether, like President Michael D Higgins, she would “call out an injustice as you see it”, she said: “I’ll never be afraid to speak out and speak up for people, but I will work within the constitutional role of the presidency.”

As President, she pledged to set up a Council of Youth “where young people can come and sit down, advise the President and tell me what their concerns are. I will be a voice for them.”

It was, she said, too early for a border poll on a united Ireland, as she faced questions about whether it should take place during her potential term.

“There’s more work to be done before we have a border poll. We know that polls can throw up results. We saw what happened with Brexit, and we saw the difficulty that caused in Northern Ireland and we saw how it can be so divisive. What I want to do, and what I am uniquely placed to do, is to work with people.”

The Monaghan native added: “I’m from the border, I’ve been reared and lived all my life on the border, and I do understand the complexities. I want to deepen the understanding of all traditions in Northern Ireland. I want to reach out the hand of friendship to the nationalist community, and the unionist community.”

She aimed to “build on the work of Mary McAleese,” adding she did wonderful work during her presidency in building bridges.”

"I believe in uniting this country, and I promise I will work to the best of my ability to bring people together, have those private conversations, it’s not always about having them in public. We saw what Mo Mowlam did, we saw what Bertie Ahern did, they sat in those rooms, they had those conversations and peace was achieved. That’s the pathway to a united Ireland.”