Maria Steen has said that a Hermès handbag she was photographed with at the time of her unsuccessful presidential bid was a gift from her husband and cost “nothing like the figures that were mentioned”. I didn’t know whether I would be going to the Customs House with my nomination paper or whether I would be giving a concession speech. She said the reaction from people was “overwhelming” and it took her months to get through emails sent to her. She said she had been taking stock over recent months and “seeing what, if anything, I can contribute in the future”. She has not had any formal approaches from any political party or movement, she said, adding, “We’ll see what the future holds.”

Source: The Irish Times February 15, 2026 19:25 UTC