Dublin, Ireland, Nov 4, 2011 / 10:01 am
The Irish government’s decision to close its embassy to the Holy See is being criticized by the leader of the Catholic Church in Ireland.
“I wish to express my profound disappointment at this decision which means that Ireland will be without a resident ambassador to the Holy See for the first time since diplomatic relations were established and envoys were exchanged between the two States in 1929,” said Cardinal Sean Brady, Primate of All Ireland, in a Nov. 3 statement.
“This decision seems to show little regard for the important role played by the Holy See in international relations and of the historic ties between the Irish people and the Holy See over many centuries.”
Announcing the decision last night, the Tánaiste – or deputy Prime Minister of Ireland -- Eamon Gilmore claimed it had been made solely for economic reasons. He said it followed a review of overseas missions which gave “particular attention to the economic return from bilateral missions.” Given the perilous state of the Irish economy, he said the government had “to cut our cloth.”
Gilmore also announced the closure of embassies in East Timor and Iran.