The President’s wife, Sabina Higgins, has broken her silence on the controversial letter she wrote, which was criticized for not condemning Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine.
In a statement released today, Ms Higgins said the letter was written in a “personal capacity”.
Ms Higgins said she put the letter in her dedicated section on the President’s official website for people to access.
However, she soon took it down again when she saw that it was presented “not by me but by the General President.ie website.”
“In the 11 years since I came to Áras an Uachtaráin as the wife of the President, I have continued my longstanding interest in a number of important issues,” she said.
“I have had my own section on the President.ie website since 2014. This section contains details of activities I have undertaken including speaking and working towards the implementation of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, health issues, breastfeeding, issues affecting the Traveler Community, human rights, support for the arts and a range of other issues .
“Last week I was asked about my letter to the Irish Times, which I had written in my private capacity, by a number of people who had missed it and I was unable to access it online.
“I have therefore published it in my dedicated section of the website, as I have done for the past few years. After I hung up my letter, I later took it down to find that it was not from me but from the General President.ie website.
“I have condemned in the strongest possible terms the illegal Russian invasion of Ukraine from the start and I can only be dismayed that people would find anything unacceptable in a plea for peace and negotiation if the future of mankind was torn apart by war, global warming and famine is threatened.”
Days of mounting pressure followed over Sabina Higgins’ letter commenting on the Russian invasion of Ukraine, which was published in the Irish Times and on the President’s official website.
In the letter, Ms Higgins said fighting would continue until the world “convinces Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to agree to a ceasefire and negotiations.”
Louth Fianna Fáil Senator Erin McGreehan said earlier today the President had “disrespected” Ireland and should “at the very least” apologize.
“An Uachtaráin disregarded our nation and the presidency when he published his wife’s letter—at least [sic] he needs to apologize and if he doesn’t he should definitely reconsider his position,” she said.
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https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/news/sabina-higgins-letter-was-written-in-personal-capacity-and-i-condemn-russian-invasion-41885483.html Sabina Higgins: ‘Letter was written on my own and I condemn Russian invasion’