"The President Has A Political View, It's Probably A View He Formed As A Student Radical In The 70s"

Tuesday, 20 June 2023 10:30

By Caoimhe Harney

James Lawless said the office Michael D Higgins holds now is not one he held as a student leader

The President has a political view and a world view, it's probably a view he formed as a student radical back in the 70s, according to a Kildare North TD.

Speaking on Kildare Today, James Lawless claimed the President can have a go at the state and criticise policy.

However, Deputy Lawless said that Government cannot criticise the President because of a constitutional convention, which, he claimed, leads to one sided debate.

The President has been accused of trying to shut down debate on Ireland's neutrality in some of the comments he made in recent days.

Michael D Higgins has expressed concern about a "drift" towards the ending of Ireland's military neutrality.

Deputy Lawless said that he would hope that the President would not "muddy the pitch" with his comments before the forum on Ireland's Defence kicks off.

"I don't see any drift at all, I actually see a number of important decisions to be made," insisted Lawless.

Kildare South Independent TD Cathal Berry said: "It is completely normal to discuss defence in any other country.

"Resourced neutrality is what we're supposed to be doing.

"Currently we are not a neutral country. We're uniquely vulnerable," concluded Berry.

Fianna Fáil TD Kildare North James Lawless and Kildare South Independent TD, Former Army Ranger Cathal Berry spoke with Eoin Beatty on Tuesday morning's Kildare Today, listen back to the interview here;

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