'If it was a boxing match, it would have been stopped' - Political parties give their reaction to first presidential debate

"From 'sloppy' to 'safe', candidates were careful in their performance"

"The first televised presidential debate aired on Monday night on Virgin Media after a manic few weeks of teasing, door-stepping and faux pas."

"Independent Catherine Connolly, Fine Gael nominee Heather Humphreys and Fianna Fáil's candidate Jim Gavin faced off against each other in a debate that failed to get the juices flowing, but certainly got chins wagging."

The first televised presidential debate aired on Monday night on Virgin Media after a manic few weeks of teasing, door-stepping and faux pas. Independent Catherine Connolly, Fine Gael nominee Heather Humphreys and Fianna Fáil's candidate Jim Gavin faced off against each other. Each candidate adopted a cautious and measured performance, avoiding major gaffes. The interchange lacked spark and failed to generate substantive policy confrontation or energetic debate. The tone ranged from careful to overly polished, producing safe answers rather than bold positions. The event nonetheless triggered public conversation and commentary about candidate styles and campaign dynamics.

Read at Independent