President defends criticism of EU

President Michael D Higgins attacked the EU as part of his oath to do everything in his power for the welfare of Ireland, he has declared.

Amid government support for his outspoken remarks, the President insisted he was not overstepping any constitutional line.

“There is no difficulty at all as far as I am concerned about what I am doing in terms of it being both positive and being clearly within what I think is both proper and right and constitutional,” he said.