A SENIOR FIANNA Fáil TD has attacked the government for closing the Irish embassy in the Vatican, saying that he doesn’t believe the decision was made for financial reasons.

In a heated speech during Leaders’ Questions in the Dáil this morning, FF spokesperson on communications Eamon O’Cuiv questioned how Ireland had been able to maintain the embassy during previous economic downturns.

“I do not believe that this decision was made for money reasons,” O’Cuiv said.

Tánaiste Eamon Gilmore said he “regretted that it was necessary” to close any embassies but that the decision had been made for financial reasons.

“The decision will stand,” said Gilmore.

O’Cuiv told the Dáil that the Vatican is a major player in world diplomatic relations and questioned why the government was closing the embassy.

“It adds nothing to our international reputation to be closing down missions when what we could be doing is making efficiencies in other ways,” said O’Cuiv.

O’Cuiv asked the Tánaiste to state exactly how much money would be saved by removing the resident ambassador to the Holy See. He also asked whether there were other options that could have saved an equivalent amount from the Department of Foreign Affairs.

The Tánaiste responded that the closure will save €1.2 million. He also emphasised that diplomatic relations will be maintained with the Holy See, regardless of the closure of the embassy.The government will appoint a non-resident ambassador to the Holy See who will serve from Dublin.

Gilmore said he hoped that as Ireland recovers, “we can return to the question” of whether the country should reopen embassies in the Holy See, Iran and Timor Leste, all of which were earmarked for closure earlier this month.

In response to O’Cuiv’s attack that the move was disrespectful to the Catholic church Gilmore said that he believed it was important to respect the Catholic church in the state and that he had communicated the decision “personally and immediately” to the Catholic primate of Ireland and the Archbishop of Dublin.

Read more: Closure of Vatican embassy comes under fire from Catholic groups