Sabina Higgins criticised for abortion remarks

President Michael D. Higgins’ wife has attracted sharp criticism for her “inappropriate” comments supporting abortion in the case of unborn children diagnosed with life limiting conditions.

Following a debate by midwifery students in Trinity College Dublin about Ireland’s maternity care, Sabina Higgins gave an unscripted speech in which she described circumstances in which a woman could be made to carry a pregnancy to term in the case of a ‘fatal foetal abnormality’ as an “outrage against women”.

A spokesperson for Event Life Counts, which represents parents whose children were diagnosed with life-limiting conditions, said they were “hurt and appalled” and Mrs Higgins “clearly does not understand these conditions or the issues involved”.

Debate

Cora Sherlock of the Pro Life Campaign said given Mrs Higgins’s position, it is “wholly inappropriate” for her to have intervened in the abortion debate as she “has a responsibility to represent the views of more than just the abortion lobby”. 

Senator Rónán Mullen said many of those who voted for President Higgins would have done so “on the understanding that there would be no inappropriate interference from the presidential household in political matters” and he hoped “there will be no more such comments from Áras an Uachtaráin”.