CINXE.COM

<!DOCTYPE html><html lang="en-US"><head><title>Just a moment...</title><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8"><meta http-equiv="X-UA-Compatible" content="IE=Edge"><meta name="robots" content="noindex,nofollow"><meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width,initial-scale=1"><style>*{box-sizing:border-box;margin:0;padding:0}html{line-height:1.15;-webkit-text-size-adjust:100%;color:#313131;font-family:system-ui,-apple-system,BlinkMacSystemFont,Segoe UI,Roboto,Helvetica Neue,Arial,Noto Sans,sans-serif,Apple Color Emoji,Segoe UI Emoji,Segoe UI Symbol,Noto Color Emoji}body{display:flex;flex-direction:column;height:100vh;min-height:100vh}.main-content{margin:8rem auto;max-width:60rem;padding-left:1.5rem}@media (width <= 720px){.main-content{margin-top:4rem}}.h2{font-size:1.5rem;font-weight:500;line-height:2.25rem}@media (width <= 720px){.h2{font-size:1.25rem;line-height:1.5rem}}#challenge-error-text{background-image:url(data:image/svg+xml;base64,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);background-repeat:no-repeat;background-size:contain;padding-left:34px}@media (prefers-color-scheme:dark){body{background-color:#222;color:#d9d9d9}}</style><meta http-equiv="refresh" content="390"></head><body class="no-js"><div class="main-wrapper" role="main"><div class="main-content"><noscript><div class="h2"><span id="challenge-error-text">Enable JavaScript and cookies to continue</span></div></noscript></div></div><script>(function(){window._cf_chl_opt={cvId: '3',cZone: "www.joe.ie",cType: 'managed',cRay: '8e85ba273893601c',cH: 'eCPeIoCWUeJvNmTkF0waGR2NdATFm8JZcALixgIFtas-1732580578-1.2.1.1-sUnSXDFC6IeQXUaE2HRkf7e5KqOBReyYrASJnyomyDcrm1ehJh4Lip3OhuXZlNhg',cUPMDTk: "\/news\/michael-d-higgins-has-defended-his-comments-on-fidel-castro-568782?__cf_chl_tk=CjtxS2kiWzghl5f7FVuNzT1l89Sx7mTgC1md_qJbRGY-1732580578-1.0.1.1-LM1oeW8DORHoyQTcduLgorCeLnz9L_lsyWrYDVPHYQc",cFPWv: 'g',cITimeS: '1732580578',cTTimeMs: '1000',cMTimeMs: '390000',cTplC: 0,cTplV: 5,cTplB: 'cf',cK: "",fa: "\/news\/michael-d-higgins-has-defended-his-comments-on-fidel-castro-568782?__cf_chl_f_tk=CjtxS2kiWzghl5f7FVuNzT1l89Sx7mTgC1md_qJbRGY-1732580578-1.0.1.1-LM1oeW8DORHoyQTcduLgorCeLnz9L_lsyWrYDVPHYQc",md: "8RFAQ3jXlTbeyVBNrbSQS250Il5xXJSg3aKvR6XhSaw-1732580578-1.2.1.1-W_FCHsvn7dBj2YaCRbGZg9RwHmw.0v_.OjT7dE710jNfMRTiF9RkOZAE9efGwXywaE3fXg1AuthzqJnz92FyDUG1De8tP_wEKPSGaI64NXIboahIcL6n53FE9mSt7kegxAGA_wFIrAXkwU2cAmKXdfA7u6Qh41JA7yM02I1UWdVcZqW66uStngRuQwCS0EY_orj71KCRQeDdGw2U1DA62rTR2yVAK8e6Ym9.o5LgkaD9FXj37oTtOmsK8PC3MAyNuVg88LdBUHJRNtU.myNaYqm_8h1jq6n_5xilpQJ2ezQx0HPxafLjrz75NEMAqtmUQ6LNr8TOuQOyy74b5uK8HeYTQy6BDNDAk1pkCDMR3W2ii0h8XDBL9tjGYwhQGp9rNA2T4QKWhqiiILRNWJwiZfDeXWc6U6VUzCb9ATqgGB.YO72Tv_XrEatcohYvesaACuTD1J71.583BjX1V87HRlUKvK2IyRL5soalQnOqgIqCcH15Nb.2w5Zg6kf6MlB2_2Tqsmw6r8ddjAntm8yd8kCyNzF68f2eJL.rmfBJ6JA7ShOwFx_3.Vq4kBR4S0D_uZILPF817SzL12yCaj52G5kPq8djnFhdLevyAs75gbKERpxhGrBkkuDOIc9EpdKcQjuAQif3_PQVQF5mgfquT4gnTo7p5fwyErNHLJ6RZhhxzF6WEkU22q_fC45mdLbVtnozXQqhTq.28SRDYxcqjHkJTFV4uNcynz26KkmAIOexFRotvHe7Kxhz_KhGfV.z3.Gx76Dhh5RCCqia8GCtUn0amZJSOfiSSzUeYg8fp6fIgpqeK0IvGHDju_sJ97QStmWYFZCPxnHz96rUYY1BqoxwMb3JG4eCDiNMpcT0YoHJ00o4LCZUaFaReFiXI_n18sOizZhkj1EAm1nGKHZWp0ddqwB7Pbz6WnF4QH2u9fxFx9AnCW77WCuSoSIGfQOplsVxHdqRF8EqRMDFguQsItr4sDT1nB_wyJOHqalzg5kRAFfCiq1qNzBH4nV2SjLcaNmuyb6GyuJ5LGxRyO8naMcFHgt7DnRZQExbLLfqsnrJRXVDbXQbu1dWPkKAcfrVfIUeLaq82gevWuR8gVVkNQnXLfrzMC0uoBssYiWUoeXajh6u5Tx4NrEnLF913roYkiTj2OyGYYjD8WcDV250RGjQ5qkMO14QqdZJjqJ6elB5lhJHyT90DDQ.G_lGaAeDI.eAQFb_d.4n3GA8PItC7..k_Vb4mVBDaIDKowRKj0FW3AlY9dluUNZ4TnXqhm4dIl9EcUoL277FoXIx5d7SQeCHdKeEfZSm6DUISJhonk_niEJYNTKcu5k6cktTdBlvpr4KNXycCnXrsVD7EVe2aehhdUNdudlF8kAcxUoaLCj8tjq2tVuh5HE4vAiw8zl9qLxSUKKJC2UNGrAxtXmHgAOG7j2SxeSVDesSTuYvKbJnsMPgkA9k12kD.34vzGS5Sg30GURLjYVAvCqjafClac7WnDz2f1nfFnsvwj.YoIoXgpNXLFF74h5l7rG4c8Nr9bzK1tLU5gn491E6MCyXYs5Y0jMfPplv8JLKM0QM220BDFthU.MeiMLBzjvk5e7imklMV8XC2qQLG06wIUo2ow1EBq5h9s3s2UWOy8saDB7uA.Msju.0xINLb0zkNPg9NHgW3u1fsfyRsCGjDKiVxJqvxypCjvk640m5e66HYRIjXx2MdB_FTBV19EJROasBJ0SPoMZDcaaMW7LOiQ94.kjmWRrzKogSfbs6oMypaG3Q1WsLMshDJbVQeGyvFLdCSKw0HFfGxdOlrkhu94ozWL6E549RK.O0In_gkeLgikw6d_bKRWOmag0qpKd.X__DgvjE7p9dZ3ntOfWAB4hpZIdw0VTumyslnY7IOt63ObLNN5TWhUZE9Fsfh875YhJM4AckNW7ukiQNuODr_izRepwcbhqTlSbuU6rYTOJq_gP8q.WZGfOekvG4xSkYyTvv3vfmg9mZiE5eAG1WQmH8XQju9RJuP_k.OWX2lJYO7xfpCXR1WWAvlTOyw2F_PWeVhv7BQ9xXiqXqS9Y41.eZZO8v4gPAl2vI__NHaL3DKgeqdAG0CRBLmnOcnl9CHRtsCjuVMPLC.RQ6YZICdmcVJDJ811TtTEmc5fF33kUiRNt6qhasL.YXAwd0bK0fEi7m2oAS1xxH75nTQEoYhi64BkInSFC3x2uGY7W9kP.tusR1xUjhMzePeJRAXhzr9WZd0SMu9YRYwsGc38SgH2uDzjnMGDRLVp_.h_c.8UXAde3.VuZsaMTBEM0ACXQ3ItrtjrCASG937KoYIa0F4LaTpqwl0xiY1fpQPyulqn3In5fczE235drFyyqqurev9J.4G8sGVccP5OON9xLmdFoQTqr4KYFbGlr5Xzvfsi1nNPd2Txfd85mOs_Jsqyplo9_5j8.viZqbr8G8ck_.43NoTybjSXSISKvUn5T294R.mgkuPC2Dea_th4VKORD_gw8MNWk0m6aR6U2ZLR.rBC1pMvZT8x0dM314_3hmr6GflEeilH81olnlQJHlf22AAf9TrrcWDTP8ROz5jmTVRstaBvbxv8Wij1hLx5MlV6b1utt24rq7SCreSCuGRjA7PwAePMEHaWWuVlpK7XGv.rE9jMuSTQmKSvx1wWSZlD.PJA0L8x08rqi3dqWvEIYix0ZpVWRbv96JvNjf5g.tNsj4zN8_A7j1CYz6f3wJJBU2l4vAEE0LeK3BQXn0ybisOpgved122ICHuZ_w8dRZDmNQ8z4uuWjRBwz3epbgR3uV_.F7lwF6TEWI1iNfhjdZnjk_7LjwqF9XrN8XU01RdF.lx3e2vq2MLEOr5FnL7mKC4aOtE73T8oOOqD5pnT99mZSGd1tPQH8ZGqx_76iq7m7NOPhRQZtbSXRWCJXEUCMAKyKZlHw4yHvQincvfuOjp7CpkPY4JBNcEC_CvKF3W.6xy60juvSCmbMvL6P74vCYqqor_iFhhGOdATnTbh8CjC6stMQmi6hxmXD7V_Lvufkue2LFVcnDal.sVBhQHVg5_9F5iw1.YCB9YlANCUJVuAS9",mdrd: "dnUr.t1HuM9Fx8uZvV.RYb0AW5lYKjendDvTHvHpn5g-1732580578-1.2.1.1-SSIdIriCUyJoyGlu83GSLXlu7nMGxloBb8iVjdN0up65TxBsi4Lna6eYLcHYlHvuhevbocajOPXNOEaSPj6kMbSLb0TaCUwBKdl3WHxON7mx8PxFdYvYKQ2deiXxV9GQdh1Nr0CLSUMkbEJCmAgntLn7zkl7G2sKiU3d_mrCDp8s.15reVjCi.JWi4aor.o.UpMYJbn.B7u.mbk.3220vfgYQhFfPbE4fOj95xr04_A098AP5mp_xabOHvh8nRyEHLBfUPBOugwe75hJ3HspGlMCn.GjD_UOPx3Kbq1M9.Ep4q.NQoHataxDMyrE2WEuk9g6NmhHZUoyA54rN2a7L1PunHGOB8Xom5le6cMdEOFk1S5T1CBlmS2a7ws7AzmbWLyTBx71kZ8.fpoAoY05ZuKQ5bH0fehC7JvgZ5aqADVEwNtokck9lmniW0YFVvq_o3x0yOhBSBzd5tOvItcHPb_wH55KbmmCk5g.2dLy7mC.C7xAxRfRZZRNrDJWdLseXfiAb9ADs6ExRH_RtsomVrM5b5_N3Q6laMdwnssSLvc08IPv38DkUSUQrnEShBYlWJJeFO5qHxBIQRcdPTCOPQcSYL0cEmccFgmM0pt4_d7Ks6EQgqkdjU9fjNTQUKVtxKlfzO1Vl1iCsbKzIvgRzqlWR4xAK3GNMPcpn8dtTJZwnDHu8BMR4990kdORSvb8Z8nRFxitVui3OpSIuEOkLfoYsKPhJ0RQhjOELzbwo_jgSWUbkd8ornaqXZp8FXqVUVw9ustH.j8w09IB3PuHB93Vn8mbOHIG279Vmnzkl_T_UBmgsrT_GgHdrciPipSwxjoi4rgl965Oy9NjxnZtXO.B029hOhUmwnBTzedh8P.4U.o.95.rmDE1KnhOofBEi15hRN1PBVMuNN3KyZVVQzF7KN2Px_7enXoupxlKl83kyKHSwsARe9UYn.aHf7pRKDOEV.nvovyV5yPGdz2zAG6lQNgpcDS1jhGtFD3L44Ezls61SMc9qTddQJ.kwjmxEaqly3jKMGypMQKIPUtptnvzNPo8JRegYw48e9lvdUWw3UrJdsesr6ULfHfeJQ0A_b7bdhqA1.nLuEmpnDHdl63mFRKHQF8l22j7oYkrr4hGnV3YOlB1aq0MH3Nycpfnttz7ZXcEKl.cai00yOVmttdlgK3G9MH7OBKA6iiCbzSupbkRwLr2JnnioNIpC1e0oe5FXPVU088V.btGPp0QGVxPGNHj9cs35icPuTB4mjpDijWC60Xn8nD7jP5qttStl28QGW1rDS0NwdtguB4GXWI.XrcE9ZE8TmpiOi4xMHapofC6nH4w1eP8zQ69cdUzAClFHYb1zFG2I9Xo5cC3ilwTtNxRFITr11LxtvTPKSAXkO0gUFdakfL7BdChtigVm13U.CytHq4rag5NwCBPDn2XEIZ5EPqgFFBE3jofU3v3Nm7X8VikCvgoudBrAP7XYVR6EPn6Aeyj6wYGdZHHdoKJ44vZdFj4ypcE8LmLLinmfaaSBb7RhLWXmww7aS7NT_zka5LXQibo7kBaRA7o3nizyHh.hei8R0WLCA.fgJa4CzG4tFR8FfinLIZdOboHWDWf36SHN1wyut2saaQLICbmtD_srKuBpbsPi7wZUtDYDIOO_UMfguzt.Wdakqpv_vNt2.ooNBzTC2CrD2nJcqKRyVHGPgwQquqEkxmC4fm0N2rQN7j99E6YdfI_xkSko4n8.Yo_LDEfQrlDRHaEiLr3cyWYJP77eP_W_umnDax8y3mnFvCCVjAJ1flZps1Wm1QYive0jOUuqsd59uDNYCtQdB046pIxesKlonoKmF5_wDQIe6iumJdSNBuhIf0xymOwtPedPqUYJxjYv6di.hdUkQnLh5ExjyRMErzXTjopFMy1jq99N07sDzNb9Y_25opBYGjdoaHqu1pe5Q_zDFw8cHmi11MZzo6lKi_8gvo"};var cpo = document.createElement('script');cpo.src = '/cdn-cgi/challenge-platform/h/g/orchestrate/chl_page/v1?ray=8e85ba273893601c';window._cf_chl_opt.cOgUHash = location.hash === '' && location.href.indexOf('#') !== -1 ? '#' : location.hash;window._cf_chl_opt.cOgUQuery = location.search === '' && location.href.slice(0, location.href.length - window._cf_chl_opt.cOgUHash.length).indexOf('?') !== -1 ? '?' : location.search;if (window.history && window.history.replaceState) {var ogU = location.pathname + window._cf_chl_opt.cOgUQuery + window._cf_chl_opt.cOgUHash;history.replaceState(null, null, "\/news\/michael-d-higgins-has-defended-his-comments-on-fidel-castro-568782?__cf_chl_rt_tk=CjtxS2kiWzghl5f7FVuNzT1l89Sx7mTgC1md_qJbRGY-1732580578-1.0.1.1-LM1oeW8DORHoyQTcduLgorCeLnz9L_lsyWrYDVPHYQc" + window._cf_chl_opt.cOgUHash);cpo.onload = function() {history.replaceState(null, null, ogU);}}document.getElementsByTagName('head')[0].appendChild(cpo);}());</script></body></html>