Sabina Higgins says she strongly condemns the illegal Russian invasion of Ukraine.
President Michael D Higgins' wife has been criticised for a letter she wrote to the Irish Times last week, where she called for talks to agree a ceasefire and negotiations.
In a statement this evening, Sabina Higgins says she put the letter on her dedicated section of the President.ie website and subsequently took it down.
She goes on to say she's dismayed people would find anything unacceptable in a plea for peace and negotiations, when the future of humanity is threatened by war, global warming and famine.
"For the last 11 years since coming Áras an Uachtaráin as the wife of the President, I have continued my long standing interests on a number of important issues. Since 2014, I have had a dedicated section on the President.ie website. This section contains details of activities I have been undertaking including speeches and work towards the implementation of the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals, health issues, breastfeeding, issues affecting the Traveller Community, human rights, supporting the arts and a range of other issues.
"Last week I had been asked about my letter to the Irish Times, which I had written in a personal capacity, by a umber of people who had missed it, and had not been able to access it online. I therefore put it on my dedicated section of the website as I have done for the number of years. Having put my letter up, I subsequently took it down when I saw it being presented as not being from myself, but the general President.ie website.
"I have from its outset strongly condemned the illegal Russian invasion of Ukraine and I cannot be but dismayed that people would find anything unacceptable in a plea for peace and negotiations when the future of humanity is threatened by war, global warming and famine.
Sabina Higgins."
A former government minister said earlier today that the debate surrounding the letter by Sabina Higgins on the war in Ukraine has become 'ridiculous'.
Michael D Higgins yesterday released a statement reiterating his support for Ukraine.
Former minister Shane Ross, says the issue has been blown out of proportion.
"The idea that the President should now come in and defend his wife's position, is to me somewhat ridiculous.
"She is entitled to and does express her opinions on these views.
"If they happen to differ from his, I don't know whether they do or not, I don't think every time they do differ that he's going to comment on this and that."
