Former president Mary Robinson said the recent Oireachtas debate was a “very mature step forward” in dealing with the issue of abortion in Ireland.
But Dr Robinson said that, as a former president, she would not be entering the debate.
Speaking at a public interview at NUI Galway last night, which was chaired by Irish Times journalist Fintan O’Toole, Dr Robinson praised the recent moves to finally deal with the issue of abortion in Ireland.
“I think it is very important that the discussion in the Oireachtas will hopefully try to clarify what the real issues are and take the mature responsibility,” said Dr Robinson.
She was appearing at NUI Galway as part of a new partnership with the university, which is to support the proposed Mary Robinson Centre in her hometown of Ballina, Co Mayo.
“I don’t really want to comment in any great detail because it is very sensitive and I am a former president.
“It is not that I don’t care, I care deeply and I follow it and actually I think that Oireachtas hearing was a very mature step forward and there needs to be more of that.”