Irish president Michael D Higgins says IRA prisoners were 'marginalised' people

Michael D Higgins made the comments in a prepared speech praising his South African counterpart Cyril Ramaphosa during his visit to Dublin this week.

It has caused one victims campaigner to wonder what qualifies them as “marginalised”.

In his speech, Mr Higgins spoke of the "special relationship" between the two nations, and recalled that Mr Ramaphosa was at one time part of the international delegation monitoring disarmament in Northern Ireland.

Mr Higgins said Mr Ramaphosa had "gained the trust of diverse groups – a trust earned from your role in the struggle against Apartheid".

He added: "Your reaching out to the marginalised included visiting IRA prisoners in the Maze prison along with 'Mac' Maharaj [another veteran ANC politician]."

Kenny Donaldson, director of SEFF (which used to stand for South East Fermanagh Foundation, and now stands for Supporting, Empowering, Fair and Focused) said: "It is disappointing that outgoing president Higgins used this language.

"Initially I had wondered whether the remarks may have been made off the cuff, or perhaps that the context wasn't fully reflected – but on the president's own official website, the full speech given at the event is contained and the reference is clear: 'reaching out to the marginalised included visiting IRA prisoners in the Maze prison along with ‘Mac’ Maharaj.'

"What exactly made IRA prisoners a marginalised group?

"The context of which Provisional IRA terrorists were a marginalised group is that those who belonged to that organisation and other terror groups represented a minority of people, yet they sought to project their will upon the majority, from across the community through the use of terrorism and criminal behaviour.

"It would be very helpful if president Higgins would move to urgently clarify his remarks.”

In the speech the Irish president also spoke of Ireland's and South Africa’s “shared commitment to freedom and justice”, which “can be traced back to struggles for independence based on the brave efforts of a principled opposition of racism”.

He also hailed “the positive role that South Africa now continues to play in the wider southern African region” and “the progress that is being made in South Africa on matters pertaining to equality in civil society”.

South Africa has been in the headlines this year because of concerns about the treatment of the white minority in the country, particularly white farmers (whites make up about 7% of the population).

Donald Trump had met Mr Ramaphosa at the White House earlier in the year and upbraided him over the issue, saying that his government “allows” blacks to take white farmland, “and then when they take the land, they kill the white farmer, and when they kill the white farmer nothing happens to them”.

Mr Trump has admitted white South Africans to America as refugees, though Mr Ramaphosa has said: "A refugee is someone who has to leave their country out of fear of political persecution, religious persecution, or economic persecution… and they don't fit that bill."