Overseas Affairs Minister Simon Coveney and Authorities Chief Whip Jack Chambers will each attend a church occasion marking the partition of Eire, which President Michael D Higgins declined to attend.
n an announcement launched this night, the Division of Overseas Affairs mentioned that Mr Coveney and Mr Chambers will symbolize the Authorities on the Service of Reflection and Hope occasion.
It mentioned the invitation prolonged to Authorities was distinct from the invitation supplied to President Higgins.
The division expressed its “full help and understanding for the choice made by President Higgins with regard to his attendance on the occasion”.
It mentioned the “determination was fairly correctly made by the President, and was primarily based on issues that he had persistently expressed.”
The occasion takes place at St Patrick’s Church of Eire Cathedral, in Armagh, on October 21, with Queen Elizabeth II and a consultant of the UK authorities additionally invited.
It has proved controversial in after President Higgins publicly declined the invitation to the interdenominational service.
Mr Higgins criticised the reference to the partition of Eire within the title of the occasion and mentioned on that foundation he was not ready to attend.
In its assertion launched right now, the Division of Overseas Affairs mentioned: “The Authorities has right now thought-about the invitation which it obtained from The Church Leaders Group (Eire) to the Service of Reflection and Hope which the group is organising in Armagh later this month.
“In contemplating the invitation, the Authorities famous that its function on this matter is clearly distinct from that of the President.
“In that regard, the Authorities reiterates its full help and understanding for the choice made by President Higgins with regard to his attendance on the occasion. That call was fairly correctly made by the President, and was primarily based on issues that he had persistently expressed.
“Cognisant of that necessary distinction, and in recognition additionally of the spirit and intentions of the church leaders in organising the occasion, the Authorities has determined that will probably be represented on the occasion by the Minister for Overseas Affairs and by the Authorities Chief Whip.”