Conor Lenihan under fire for calling Savita Halappanavar ‘that Indian lady’

Former Minister Conor Lenihan has been criticised for referring to Savita Halappanavar as “that Indian lady” during a recording of a debate for BBC radio.

Mr Lenihan made the remarks during a panel discussion for the BBC World Questions programme, due to be aired tonight, which included a debate on the Eighth Amendment and also featured Leo Varadkar and Mary Lou McDonald.

Yesterday his comments were described as “clumsy and unfortunate for a former minister for integration” by Shane O’Curry of the European Network Against Racism (ENAR).