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Apology from the President for a “trivial statement” about an expert.
Leithscéal ón Uachtarán faoi “ráiteas fánach” faoi shaineolaí.
President Michael D.
Tá an tUachtarán Michael D.
Higgins has apologized to Professor Louise Richardson for a “careless statement” he made which was published in a newspaper yesterday.
Higgins tar éis leithscéal a ghabháil leis an Ollamh Louise Richardson faoi “ráiteas míchúramach” a rinne sé a foilsíodh i nuachtán inné.
In the article the President said that Ireland was “running thin” during a dangerous period, at a time when the country’s foreign policy is “going downstream.”
San alt dúirt an tUachtarán go raibh Éirinn “ag rith ar thanaí” le linn tréimhse chontúirteach, tráth a bhfuil polasaí eachtrach na tíre “ag imeacht le sruth.”
He also referred to the chairman of the Consultative Forum on International Security Policy – Professor Richardson – and said that she was someone “with a very large DBE – Dame of the British Empire” and that she was “grand” but that she would have to the ability of experts to come to the Forum.
Thagair sé chomh maith do chathaoirleach an Fhóram Comhairliúcháin ar an bPolasaí Slándála Idirnáisiúnta – an tOll Richardson – agus dúirt sé gur duine í “with a very large DBE – Dame of the British Empire” agus go raibh sí “grand” ach go mbeadh ar a chumas féin a theacht ar lucht saineolais le bheith ar an bhFóram.
Today the President’s Office says “he meant no offense by that trivial statement.”
Inniu deir Oifig an Uachtaráin “nach raibh aon mhasla i gceist aige leis an ráiteas fánach sin.”
“The President apologizes” says a statement from the Office “for any offense he inadvertently gave to Professor Richardson with a careless statement.
“Gabhann an tUachtarán leithscéal” a deir ráiteas ón Oifig “faoi aon mhasla a thug sé gan chuimhneamh don Ollamh Richardson le ráiteas míchúramach.
As a political scientist and sociologist himself, the President is familiar with the work of Professor Richardson.
Mar eolaí polaitiúil agus socheolaí é féin tá eolas ag an Uachtarán ar shaothar an Oll Richardson.
He admires, as do others, the Professor’s tenacity in attracting students from disadvantaged and other non-traditional backgrounds to Oxford University, which led to her being awarded the DBE.”
Tá meas aige, mar atá ag daoine eile, ar threallús an Ollaimh ag mealladh mac léinn faoi mhíbhuntáiste agus ó chúlraí eile neamhthraidisiúnta chuig Ollscoil Oxford, rud ba chúis leis an ngradam DBE a bronnadh uirthi.”
Government sources have indicated that Prof Richardson will continue to chair the Forum.
Tá sé tugtha le fios ag foinsí Rialtais go leanfaidh an tOll Richardson i mbun cathaoirleachta ar an bhFóram.
In the interview the President did yesterday with the Sunday Business Post he said he was concerned that the country was turning away from “positive neutrality, our established policy.”
San agallamh a rinne an tUachtarán inné leis an Sunday Business Post dúirt sé go raibh imní air go raibh an tír ag iompú ón “neodracht dearfach, an polasaí seanbhunaithe atá againn.”
He mentioned the panels on the Forum, among which he said “the admirals, the generals, the air force and the rest” as well as “the countries that used to be neutral but are now looking for NATO membership.”
Luaigh sé na painéil atá ar an bhFóram, ina measc a dúirt sé “na haimiréil, na ginearáil, an t-aerfhórsa agus an chuid eile” chomh maith “leis na tíortha a bhíodh neodrach ach atá anois ag lorg ballraíochta le NATO.”
Cathal Berry – Independent MP and former member of the Defense Forces – has said there should be a “respectful debate” about Irish neutrality.
Tá Cathal Berry – Teachta Dála Neamhspleách agus iarchomhalta sna Fórsaí Cosanta – tar éis a rá gur cheart “díospóireacht mheasúil” a bheith ann faoi neodracht na hÉireann.
The TD says that the President’s speech in the newspaper was divisive and that he spoke personally and inappropriately about Prof Richardson.
Deir an TD gur chothaigh caint an Uachtaráin san nuachtán deighilt agus gur labhair sé go pearsanta agus go míchuí faoin Oll Richardson.
He also says that there is no admiral or air force member on the Consultative Forum which has been established by the Government and which will be holding during the week.
Deir sé freisin nach bhfuil aon aimiréal ná comhalta aerfhórsa ar an bhFóram Comhairliúcháin atá bunaithe ag an Rialtas agus a bheidh ag tionól i rith na seachtaine.
He says that a full list of people on the panels can be found on gov.ie and that they include non-Government organisations, as well as civil servants, academics and journalists.
Deir sé go bhfuil liosta iomlán de na daoine atá ar na painéil le fáil ar gov.ie agus go bhfuil eagrais-nach- eagrais-Rialtais-iad ina measc, chomh maith le státseirbhísigh, lucht acadúil agus iriseoirí.
There are to be five Generals, says Cathal Berry – three retired and two still serving – who have spent their lives, he says, with United Nations peace campaigns.
Tá cúigear Ginearál le bheith ann a deir Cathal Berry – triúr ar scor agus beirt atá fós ar seirbhís – a bhfuil a saol caite acu a deir sé le feachtais síochána na Náisiún Aontaithe.
“These men should not be misrepresented,” he says, “as if they were imperialist instigators of war.”
“Níor chóir bréagléiriú a thabhairt ar na fir sin” a deir sé “ar nós gur gríosóirí impiriúlacha cogaidh iad.”
Richard Boyd Barrett – Pobal Moimh Brabach MP, and president of the Irish Movement Against War – has said that the Forum is heavily biased and dominated by pro-NATO or pro-militarization of the Union. European.
Tá Richard Boyd Barrett – Teachta Dála de chuid Pobal Roimh Brabach, agus uachtarán Ghluaiseacht na hÉireann in Aghaidh na Cogaíochta – tar éis a rá go bhfuil an Fóram claonta go láidir agus forlámhas air ag daoine atá i bhfabhar NATO nó atá i bhfabhar mhíleatú an Aontais Eorpaigh.
He says that the Government is “sticking around the waist” towards NATO and he says that the Chair of the Forum has a “legitimate point of view” but that she “supports the foreign policy of the United States, as the record shows.”
Deir seisean go bhfuil an Rialtas “ag sodar faoi choim” i dtreo NATO agus deir sé go bhfuil “dearcadh dlisteanach” ag Cathaoirleach an Fhóraim ach “go seasann sí le polasaí eachtrach na Stát Aontaithe, mar is léir ón taifead.”