Ireland will emerge from crisis stronger – Mary Robinson

Student Journalists Órla Ryan and Seán Dunne
pictured with Mary Robinson at NUI Galway. 

FORMER PRESIDENT Mary Robinson has said that Ireland will emerge stronger than ever from the current economic crisis. 

"I think Ireland has benefited from a very tough lesson. We recognise that this is the toughest time we've been through in modern Ireland. It's hurting people terribly, but we will come through stronger and I hope we will come through fairer, with a real sense of what Ireland itself can achieve," Ms Robinson stated.

She acknowledged that Ireland is going through "another wave" of emigration, something she feels the country can use to renew itself.

She noted that modern emigration is different in that young people "know that they want to come back and be more equipped for the modern Ireland".

"We need to be a country that these young people want to come back to and that's the challenge for the rest of us."

Speaking exclusively to student journalists at NUI Galway yesterday, she also revealed her upset regarding the recent surge in youth suicides.

"I find it very very distressing that so many young people in Ireland don't feel that sense of hope in themselves, that sense of potential," she said.

Ms Robinson alluded to her work with the Elders, a human rights advocacy group founded by Nelson Mandela, where members are encouraged to tell young people they are the future, "not in a glib way, but in a really affirming way".

She urged all parents and grandparents to tell young people "there are difficulties but we believe in you, we have faith in you, we actually want to support you".

Ms Robinson also spoke of her disappointment regarding the relative lack of progress made in terms of women in politics since she left office over fifteen years ago. "In some ways, things have gone well and in other ways, it's surprising that they have not gone better."

She feels that a lack of confidence may have restricted young women from progressing further in politics. "Be confident in your ability, know that your country will be better served by all of you reaching your full potential," she advised.

Ms Robinson was in NUI Galway to give a public interview on her life and work.

- by Órla Ryan and Seán Dunne

A version of this article appeared on the Irish Independent website, in The Connacht Tribune and in Student Independent News, NUI Galway's student newspaper.