Higgins defends comments on abortion row

President Michael D Higgins has defended his dramatic intervention into the abortion law row following the death of Savita Halappanavar.

After opposition parties seized on his comments as an attack on the Government’s handling of the controversy, the president insisted he was merely expressing the great sadness felt by Irish people.

President Higgins took many by surprise with the directness of his comments on the Halappanavar affair during a visit to Liverpool when he stressed an investigation into the death must meet the needs of the family as well as the State.