Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)

I do not accept the allegation about torpedoing the diplomatic relations between Ireland and the Holy See. Ireland has good diplomatic relations with the Holy See and that will continue. I was very glad, for example, to be present when the President received the new papal nuncio to Ireland and accepted his credentials. Indeed I welcome him to Ireland and had the opportunity of doing so on that occasion.

There are two issues with the use of the same premises. First, there is the issue of the ambassador. The position of the Holy See - as it is entitled to maintain - is that it will not permit the accreditation of an ambassador to Italy to also be an ambassador to the Holy See. So it is not possible to have one in the same embassy and one in the same ambassador serve Italy and the Holy See. That is a long-standing position of the Holy See. The same applies to the use of the embassy premises. The long-standing position of the Holy See is that it does not permit that to be done. It is a matter for the Holy See. It is not a matter for Ireland and is not an issue of negotiation. It is a matter for the Holy See to decide what is acceptable to it in terms of arrangements for a resident ambassador.

On the appointment of a new ambassador, when the decision was made to close the resident Embassy to the Holy See, the Government appointed the Secretary General of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade to be a non-resident ambassador to the Holy See. Arrangements are being made for him to have his credentials accepted. I understand there will be a ceremony in early May when he will hand in his credentials. In the meantime he has of course been visiting the Vatican and has had a number of meetings there already.

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