Mary Robinson has told RTÉ Entertainment that she is "glad" the new feature-length film about her life covers mistakes she has made.
The Aoife Kelleher-directed Mrs Robinson has just been released in cinemas, with the former President of Ireland and United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights discussing her decision to resign from the presidency in September 1997 ahead of her scheduled November departure and also her visit to Emirati Princess Latifa Al Maktoum, the daughter of the ruler of Dubai, in 2018.
Mrs Robinson had described Princess Latifa as a "troubled young woman" after she met her at a lunch on invitation from Dubai's royal family in 2018.
Princess Latifa had attempted to flee the country earlier that year, and Mrs Robinson later said she had been "misled" in vouching for the princess's safety.
When asked by RTÉ Entertainment if making the new film had provided closure for her on both the controversies, Mrs Robinson replied: "Particularly with the presidency, I think, yes, there was a sense of being able to explain that I hadn't realised but I had made a mistake. But the truth was, I was afraid that [United Nations Secretary-General] Kofi Annan wouldn't wait for me, that he'd appoint somebody else, and I didn't have any other option. I really wanted to do this job. But just being able to explain and being able to explain that now I understood that it really was a mistake. I should have served the full term.
"I wanted the mistake [of visiting] Princess Latifa in the film - I was very happy that Aoife was including it - because it was just a big mistake. And people make mistakes."
Speaking about why she decided to make a film about her life, Mrs Robinson admitted that she "actually wasn't keen on the idea" at first, until her late friend and advisor Bride Rosney persuaded her to sit in the interviewee's chair.
"And now the film is dedicated to her," said Mrs Robinson.
Despite the modern-day challenges of social media, Mrs Robinson hopes the film will encourage the next generation, particularly women, to consider a career in politics or public life.
"I'm interested in moving forward. I hope that it will actually be inspiring, as Bride wanted it to be, for young people and, in particular, for women to push themselves into coming into public life.
"Going into politics, in particular, it's more difficult now - with social media, with the awful anonymity, the misogyny, the name-calling. I mean, it really is. And it's disproportionate to women in public life. So you need a lot of courage, and I hope it will really encourage women.
"We need to get on top of this problem because it is disproportionately affecting women."
Mrs Robinson also said she had to overcome shyness to pursue her career - and people should not let their shyness hold them back.
"I talk about it a lot, especially with young people, because it's very true," she continued.
"I was a tomboy, I was a bookworm, but I was also very shy. I wanted to have my ideas... I wanted to be able to speak - and I really had to work at it.
"I would go completely blank. Even starting in college, I'd done some debating in school, and when I got to college I really wanted to debate - and I'd go completely blank and be so embarrassed. And then gradually [I gained more confidence], and then eventually I ended up winning some competitions..."
You can watch our full interview with Mary Robinson and director Aoife Kelleher above.
