President nears full recovery following mild stroke

President Michael D Higgins says he will be completely recovered from a mild stroke within two-to-three weeks.

He said there was no cognitive impairment from what was described at the time as a “transitory weakness”.

However, the President said it had affected his left side including his arm and hip.

Speaking during press interviews ahead of a lecture at the University of Manchester, he said he is 90% recovered and will be completing a course at St James’s Hospital.

President Higgins said he was working on a speech and about to meet a delegation from south Armagh when the stroke occurred on 29 February.

He said it began with a tingling in his left arm.

The stroke also exacerbated a problem in his lower back for which he will be undergoing a procedure.

However, it will not impact his presidential duties as he plans to give a Kofi Annan lecture in Africa and to attend a UN General Assembly.

He received an honorary doctorate from the University of Manchester yesterday where he studied as a postgraduate more than 50 years ago.

Work on migration

After his conferral, the President talked about his academic work on migration at the time.

Asked about anti-migrant protests in Ireland today, he said that he felt there was an “external influence”.

He said there is a “huge lacuna” in holding social media companies to account about what is broadcast.

But he added that people should not underestimate the “very huge support” there is in Ireland for migrants.

The President pointed to his own academic research which showed that of the Irish people born since 1901, 52% are living outside the country.

He criticised current EU policies saying that migration flows are predictable and could be better managed.

There are huge flows from climate change, ethnic conflict and border disputes, he said.

“If you address issues of food security, issues of education, issues in relation to health in particular its a more positive way of approach,” he said.

Asked about Israeli defensiveness over pro-Palestinian attitudes in Ireland, President Higgins said it is a “crudity” to ask what side you are on.

He said it is about a particular version of the Israeli state headed by a particular person with agendas.