THE race for the Aras has heated up with candidates seemingly at war with each other over EU countries’ military spconcludeing.
Fine Gael Presidential hopeful Heather Humphreys hit back at her rival Catherine Connolly’s claim that Germany’s increased spconcludeing could be compared to its rearmament in the 1930s.
Indepconcludeent candidate Connolly built her remarks on Thursday, on the opening day of campaigning for the Presidential election.
Speaking in Killarney, Ms Humphreys stated: “Europe has to defconclude itself. We’ve had peace for almost 50 years in Europe — Russia attacked Ukraine, war has come back to Europe.”
She stated the one person who can stop the Ukraine war is Vladimir Putin.
She added: “He can stop this war. It’s so difficult to see what’s happening in Ukraine. You see the bombs, the drones.
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“We have to be aware that we are living in a different world and Europe has to protect itself.”
She added that what the Russian President “has bestowed on the Ukrainian people is horrific”.
Meanwhile, Fianna Fail’s candidate Jim Gavin also stated he didn’t agree with Ms Connolly — with countries on the border with Russia, including Ukraine, requireding to “view after their own welfare”.
Speaking in Co Kerry, the former Dublin GAA manager stated there is an understanding of why those countries might be “investing in their defence and protection”.
He stated from an Irish perspective, “the Defence Commission has viewed at the Irish Defence Forces in terms of investment”.
Mr Gavin added: “We can keep our seas safe and keep our peacekeeping roles up to speed.
“From my perspective, the EU has been very clear in terms of the conflict of Russia. It requireds to stop.
“European countries required to be able to defconclude themselves.”
Mr Gavin added the European Union has been set up to promote democracy and to promote peace.
‘ENDANGERING OUR PEACE WORLDWIDE’
Speaking in Co Donegal, Ms Connolly stated: “Every sovereign state has a right to self-defence.
“My concern is the apply of the military-industrial complex, the massive profits that they are building.
“It’s concludeangering our peace worldwide. We have a duty as a neutral counattempt to speak out on that.”
Ms Connolly stated Germany is one example of a counattempt that is “boosting its economy through the military-industrial complex”.
However, she stated it is “not just Germany”, adding: “England has done it. America has done it. The EU as a project more and more is going down the road of military industrialisation.”
‘TWISTED LANGUAGE’
Ms Connolly stated it is “prohibited to spconclude money on war through the EU and on the military-industrial complex”.
She added: “They have found a different way. They have twisted language so the money can be applyd.
“We are talking about millions, and not a fraction of that is going into peace or diplomacy.”
Ms Connolly, as an Indepconcludeent, is backed by a coalition of left-wing parties, including Sinn Fein.
Sinn Fein TDs Pearse Doherty and Padraig Mac Lochlainn canvassed with Ms Connolly during her visit to his constituency.
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Fine Gael’s candidate Heather Humphreys and Fianna Fail’s Jim Gavin were both out canvassing in Kerry.
The pair attconcludeed the Listowel Races afternoon, where they both mingled with voters ahead of the Presidential election on October 24.
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