Independent Presidential candidate Catherine Connolly TD has said that if elected President, she will use the moral authority of the office to champion the values of fair work, fair pay, and workers’ dignity - principles she described as “the foundation stones of a truly just Republic.”

Speaking ahead of her meeting today at the Mandate Trade Union offices, as part of a trade union event co-ordinated by the Labour Party, Catherine said: “As President, I will stand firmly for the dignity of work - for decent pay, fair conditions, the right to organise, and the principle that no worker should be left behind in the pursuit of profit or progress.

“The Presidency must always reflect the values of justice, fairness, and solidarity that are at the heart of the trade union movement.”

She said that across Ireland, workers and their unions were facing growing challenges - from insecure work and low pay to the pressures of automation and climate transition - and that a Presidency rooted in fairness must “stand beside those who are standing up for themselves.”

“A just transition must mean real jobs and real opportunities - not lost livelihoods. And it must ensure that workers’ voices are at the centre of how we reshape our economy for a sustainable future.

“As President, I will continue to give voice to the people who keep this country going - our carers, our retail workers, our public servants, our builders, our young people in precarious jobs - the people whose work sustains Ireland every single day.

“My Presidency will be guided by the principle that work has value, and every worker deserves dignity, respect, and a fair share of the nation’s prosperity.”

ENDS

Contact: press@connollyforpresident.ie