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LAST UPDATE | 17 Sep 2021
PRESIDENT MICHAEL D Higgins has said the title of next month’s church service marking partition and the creation of Northern Ireland “wasn’t a neutral statement politically”.
President Higgins has declined an invitation to the service in Armagh which is being organised jointly by the main Christian churches on the island of Ireland.
The churches have said that the “Service of Reflection and Hope” is being held “to mark the centenaries of the partition of Ireland and the formation of Northern Ireland”.
It’s been reported that Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II will be in attendance at the service and President Higgins said today that that he is “not snubbing anyone” by not attending.
President Higgins is currently on a trip to Rome, where he met Pope Francis this morning.
Speaking following that meeting, RTÉ reports that President Higgins raised concerns over the title of the service.
“It isn’t a neutral statement politically,” he said.
“Let’s be clear…that’s why doing commemorations is difficult.”
You might remember, I’ve had no difficulties about appearing with Her Majesty in Northern Ireland. We’ve met and talked, and neither have I had anything to do with boycotting events. I hope we can help with each others’ events.
“I wish their service well but they understand that I have the right to exercise a discretion as to what I think is appropriate for my attendance.”
A spokesperson for President Higgins had earlier this week confirmed that he would not be attending the event but his decision has been criticised by the DUP and former taoiseach John Bruton.
Taoiseach Micheal Martin said he respected the president’s decision not to attend the service.
“I respect the president’s decision and I understand where the president is coming from,” he told reporters in Cork.
I think he has articulated and has given his reasons and we know that the president has given a lot of time to commemoration, and takes it very seriously. He is also very committed to reconciliation. We don’t need to question his bone fides in that respect at all, and people shouldn’t.
The Taoiseach added: “He has a long-standing relationship to peace and reconciliation on the island too. I think he has made his decision now and as he said himself, we should move on from this.”
Foreign Affairs Minister Simon Coveney earlier confirmed that his department consulted Áras an Uachtaráin regarding an invitation.
Coveney, who is Minister for Foreign Affairs, said that it was the President’s decision to decline the invitation to the event. The President has said that his decision was not a snub of Queen Elizabeth II, and that he has “the right to exercise a discretion as to what I think is appropriate for my attendance”.
His decision has come under criticism by Unionists, but Higgins described some of the criticism as “a bit much”.
Consultation
Coveney was asked about the controversy during a visit to Belfast.
“There was consultation between the Department of Foreign Affairs and the Áras (president’s official residence) on this issue and many other issues, but I can assure you President Higgins is the kind of person who makes his own decisions,” he said.
“He listens to all perspectives and then makes a judgment for himself.
“And, you know, he’s made his decision on this. He’s given an explanation as to the basis for that decision and I think we need to respect that.”
The minister said he is “not going to second-guess the decisions of the president of Ireland”.
“He makes his own decisions and he makes his own judgment calls, and I respect that.”
Coveney added: “My department would be involved with consultations with Aras An Uachtarain and the president’s team regularly on a lot of things; we didn’t give any clear advice to the president in relation to this particular event.”
I think it’s quite clear from the statements that the President has made in relation to it that he made his own decision. He is the head of State, he’s entitled to make his own decisions on his own diary and the events that he attends, and I think he’s answered for himself on that.
Asked if he would attend the service himself if invited, Coveney said: “The Irish Government hasn’t received an invitation to the event that you refer to, but, if we do receive an invitation, of course we’ll give it serious consideration.”
Also speaking to reporters this morning, Green Party leader and Transport Minister Eamon Ryan said that President Higgins was “full entitled” to make his own decision about his attendance.
“I have to respect the president’s judgment. It’s his job to make those calls and he’s been an outstanding president for our country. I don’t think anyone in government will question the president, he’s fully entitled to make those judgement calls,” Ryan said.
Higgins has defended his decision to decline an invitation to a church service marking Northern Ireland’s centenary.
The President said the title of the event, which states the service will mark the centenaries of the partition of Ireland and the formation of Northern Ireland, is being “politicised” and it would be inappropriate for him to attend.
‘No question of any snub’
Higgins, who is currently on a visit to Rome, said he will not be revisiting his decision to stay away from the service in Armagh next month.
“We are past the point now and I think it is unfortunate,” he told the Irish Times.
The President denied he is snubbing the Queen.
“There is no question of any snub intended to anybody. I am not snubbing anyone and I am not part of anyone’s boycott of any other events in Northern Ireland,” he said.
“I wish their service well but they understand that I have the right to exercise a discretion as to what I think is appropriate for my attendance.”
Higgins said his issue is with the title of the service.
“What (had started out as) an invitation to a religious service had in fact become a political statement,” he said. “I was also referred to as the President of the Republic of Ireland. I am the President of Ireland.”
DUP criticism
Unionists have questioned Higgins’ decision not to attend, with DUP leader Jeffrey Donaldson asking whether it is politically motivated as a consequence of advice from the Irish Government. The Government in Dublin has denied it influenced the president’s move.
Higgins challenged the DUP criticism.
“It’s a bit much, to be frank with you. I have gone up to Northern Ireland to take part in events,” he said.
“There often has not been a great deal of traffic down from the DUP people who are criticising me now.”
Higgins said that, on the day of the service, he has already agreed to host the Statistical and Social Inquiry Association of Ireland at Aras an Uachtaráin in Dublin.
Jeffrey Donaldson, leader of the Democratic Unionist Party, speaking on Morning Ireland defended the event as an act of reconciliation.
“Well, the event, the service, is being hosted by the four main churches, and I have to say that they will be drawn into politics.
“It simply reflects the reality of what this moment in our history, was about I know there, that it is contentious I understand that there are people on both sides, who take a different view.
“But, you know if you’re going to have reconciliation, surely it is about bringing people together who hold different views. If all we ever do is gather together with those of a like mind, how do you promote reconciliation, I think the churches are right to hold this service, they’re right to do the difficult things,” he said.
Donaldson said that the event was about “stepping outside of your comfort zone”.
“When you consider the enormous steps towards reconciliation that were taken by Her Majesty the Queen when she visited Dublin and the boundaries that were broken by that visited the taboos that were taken apart and the healing and reconciliation that arose and occurred from that event.
“I think it is regrettable that the head of state of the Republic of Ireland, feels that he cannot attend this service because it is not about politics, it’s actually about hope and reconciliation,” he added.
Former Taoiseach weighs in
@PresidentIRL has suggested former Taoiseach John Bruton might withdraw his comments this morning. Mr Bruton has clarified his remarks in a statement to Drivetime. pic.twitter.com/66m2wmQEO9
— Drivetime RTE (@drivetimerte) September 17, 2021
The entire controversy has also seen a war of words emerge between President Higgins and former taoiseach John Bruton.
Bruton said on radio that he believes President Higgins should reverse his decision and attend the service, adding that Higgins is constitutionally required to consult the government on such matters.
“This is not a commemoration, this is simply marking an anniversary, it is to be a prayerful event, and is to be attended by the head of State of the United Kingdom,” Brtuon told RTÉ’s Today with Claire Byrne said.
“I think it is a great opportunity for the two of them to stand together and show that there is a future for Northern Ireland that is both Irish, and also has a dimension that expresses the Unionist sentiment as well.”
We are trying to bring the Unionist community on side to accept the protocol, and to accept a closer relationship with us. It seems to me that gestures towards recognition of their heritage are very important on behalf of the Irish state, if we want to achieve peace and harmony in Northern Ireland.
Responding to the Bruton to reporters in Rome, President Higgins said that Bruton was “wrong in his interpretation of the Constitution”.
“I’m the President of Ireland, that’s the constitutional position, the legal position,” he said.
Following up on his earlier appearance on radio, Bruton has this evening stood by his comments in saying that he believes President Higgins is required to consult government on such matters.
In a statement sent to RTÉ’s Drivetime programme, Bruton pointed out that when he had spoken this morning it had been widely reported the President Higgins hadn’t consulted with government but Minister Simon Coveney later revealed that such dialogue had taken place.
“I believe the decision, to accept or decline this invitation, which President Higgins received as Head of State, is definitely in exercise of his” function” as Head of State.
But when I referred, this morning to his response to the invitation from Church leaders, the information in the public domain then was that the President had acted on his own in this matter.This was before a subsequent statement by the Minister for Foreign Affairs that the government did have an opportunity to offer advice but did not do so.
“In light of this the provisions of the constitution now do appear to have been fulfilled.”
With reporting from the Press Association and Rónán Duffy
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