Stay-at-home mums: so what’s new?
Not because I agree with her - I most certainly do not. But because I find it extraordinary that it is only now that ordinary family men and women have woken up to the truth about our former president.
After all, Mrs Robinson was always opposed to the idea of mothers remaining at home. She obviously still is a proponent of a brand of radical feminism that is extremely hostile to stay-at-home mums.
After her election to the Presidency she applauded Mná na hÉireann who, she said, would rock the system - not the cradle. As founder of Mothers At Home, I wrote to her at the time asking her to receive our delegation. I pointed out that we did not support her viewpoint.
She agreed to meet us at Áras an Uachtaráin in February 1993. The delegation was made up of 26 women (including four young mothers hurt by abortion) and a presentation was read out urging Mrs Robinson to use her good offices to defend the rights of those women who wanted to be full-time wives and mums. She was most gracious and listened attentively. Regretfully, however, she declined to help, and the rest is history.
Nora Bennis
President
Mothers At Home
16 Revington Park
North Circular Road
Limerick
