Both Heather Humphreys and Fine Gael leader Simon Harris have conceded the Presidential election to Catherine Connolly, with Humphreys congratulating Connolly on “becoming the next President of Ireland”.
Ex-Fine Gael leader Leo Varadkar has also conceded Catherine Connolly’s victory, congratulating her on her “strong and diverse coalition”.
“Congratulations @catherinegalway,” said Varadkar on social media.
“You put your name forward early and built a strong and diverse coalition behind you. I’ll see you at inauguration and our next Council of State meeting. Beir bua.”
The Council of State, set up by Ireland’s Constitution, comprises key government figures who serve automatically, past officeholders, and up to seven people personally hand-picked by the President. Varadkar, as a former Taoiseach, will serve as part of this body. Its purpose is to guide the President on their powers.
Early counts in Ireland’s 2025 presidential election show independent Catherine Connolly dominating with as much as 70% of votes in key areas like Dublin and Cork, while Fine Gael’s Heather Humphreys trails far behind, managing only 15-30% in many constituencies. Some analysts believe it may be on course to be the biggest victory margin ever in an Irish Presidential election.
Humphreys, a replacement candidate for Mairead McGuinness who had to drop out of the race citing health reasons, has seen her campaign manager Martin Heydon concede defeat as her campaign struggled against Connolly’s.
The race, already rocked by Jim Gavin’s withdrawal over a past debt scandal, saw his name linger on ballots, drawing 4-8% of votes.
Another significant element of the story is the record-breaking spoilt ballots – approaching 20% in some working class areas of Dublin, and 12-14% elsewhere, reflecting voter frustration with the slim two-candidate field. In some areas, both Humphreys and Connolly have seen their vote share surpassed by spoilt ballots.
Connolly, a Leftwing Socialist Galway TD, is on track to replace Michael D. Higgins as president, with final results due tonight from Dublin Castle. She will be the 10th President of Ireland.