College has issued a statement condemning the remarks made last week by Trinity lecturer Dr. Ali Selim on the topic of female circumcision. In a statement, Director of Public Affairs and Communications Tom Molloy said :“Trinity College Dublin utterly condemns female genital mutilation in all circumstances. Both the university’s teaching body and students believe that the practice is always wrong.”
In his statement, Molloy also referred to the interview between Trinity News and Prof. Deirdre Murphy, Professor of Obstetrics at Trinity, where Prof. Murphy said: “Any Doctor who suggests female circumcision is medically indicated is deluding themselves.”
Molloy further stated that “Dr Selim is employed on an hourly basis at Trinity to teach Arabic language classes”. There has been no indication from College that Selim is to be removed from his teaching position.
Shaykh Dr. Umar Al-Qadri, Chair of the Irish Muslim Peace and Integration Council, had called on Selim to be sacked, The Times reported. A statement issued by the Islamic Cultural Centre of Ireland also condemned Selim’s comments. “It is a practice carried out based on cultural non-religious convictions, with no association with religion whatsoever,” the statement said.
Selim was condemned by Trinity College Dublin Students’ Union (TCDSU). Kevin Keane, TCDSU President, said that “the university needs to take this transgression very seriously”.
Additional reporting by Seana Davis.
