ABORTION:LABOUR'S PRESIDENTIAL candidate Michael D Higgins declined to respond yesterday to a claim by Independent candidate Dana Rosemary Scallon that he supported abortion rights.
Ms Scallon made the claim in an interview with Pat Kenny on RTÉ Radio yesterday morning.
Responding to questions about signing a Bill as president on issues such as same-sex marriage, she said Mr Higgins was “someone who is pro-abortion rights”.
Campaigning later in Dublin city centre, Mr Higgins said he had not heard the interview.
“Dana and I have differed on many things over the past and that is history,” he added.
Meanwhile, Mr Higgins described “as probably a throwaway remark” a warning to voters by Fine Gael candidate Gay Mitchell not to elect a celebrity or someone who would sip champagne and recite poetry in the Áras.
“You know, even in the old days, I never liked champagne, for a start,” he said.
Mr Higgins said he had four volumes of poetry published. “They have all been reviewed, some better than others,” he added.
Mr Higgins said it would be a pity if the campaign became personalised, because the public wanted to know what qualifications candidates brought to the presidency and how they would do the job for the next seven years.
“I think that when this debate settles, people will see the case for experience, wisdom and judgment,” he added.
Asked about Mr Mitchell’s remarks, Independent candidate Senator David Norris, who also spent some time campaigning in Dublin yesterday, said he had no intention of making negative comments about other candidates.
“I made that clear at the beginning, from March 14th, and I have held to it ever since,” he added.
Mr Norris insisted he had a “full house” in terms of being qualified to be president.
He said he had started two businesses in Dublin, the James Joyce Centre and the Hirshfeld Centre, in Temple Bar.
He said he was a genuine Independent. “I have never been put on a board by a political party.
“I have never joined a political party and I have never been a candidate for one.”
Mr Norris said that if a candidate representing one of the Coalition parties won, it would mean Fine Gael and Labour controlling the local authorities, Dáil and Seanad as well as the presidency.
“So what is left? Absolutely nothing,” he added.
Mr Norris said governments had consistently put the preservation of the system, and the interests of the establishment, above the welfare of the people.
