Vatican embassy decision to be reviewed

[Texal Tom]

Good decision.... Diplomatic relations are important no mater what ones prejudices may be...

[Dr Pat]

Well done, Enda and about time too. Kneejerking Gilmore's rash action should be reviewed in full.

[FrankSpeaks]

If the man has any balls, he will stick with the decision to close.

[Hillmanhunter1]

Good decision.... Diplomatic relations are important no mater what ones prejudices may be...

It is not prejudice to note that the Catholic Church is a religion and not a country. I say that as a practising Catholic.

[White Horse]

The closure of the embassy was announced on cost grounds not due to any issues between the state and the Vatican due to the child abuse scandal.

Reconsidering a decision based on cost grounds is perfectly normal. However, had the government closed the embassy as a protest, the decision should stand as there can be no equivocation in these areas.

The last person who should be criticised is the Taoiseach as his actions regarding the Catholic Church since coming into office have been strong and resolute.

[turdsl]

This is indeed sad news. Where was the pressure coming from?

It was reported in the papers a few days ago, that Fine Gael TDs were putting on the pressure on this, We will see if Gilmore has the guts to stand by his decision.

[daveL]

I don't want it to reopen any embassy

But I'd differ on the point that the Vatican isn't a state.. it is

[tonic]

This is indeed sad news. Where was the pressure coming from?

FF, RTE & the GAA, there can be no doubt of it.

[Toland]

If the man has any balls, he will stick with the decision to close.

He won't I'm afraid. A "review" is a euphemism for a U-turn.

He may at least take the symbolic step of switching the Italian Embassy to the Villa Spada and the Vatican one to the rented-out flat.

I doubt it, though.

He's very much in danger of just annoying everyone now. If this wasn't Fine Gael pressure, then he's reading the political runes very badly. The manufactured (and probably coordinated) outrage at the closure announcement was nothing as compared to the quiet satisfaction of the majority of the Irish people.

[Goa Tse]

If they re-open it, it'll be a step backwards in every sense of the word. Closing the embassy I think sent an important message to the Vatican and the rest of the world, that officialdom isn't scraping and bowing to them any more. If they backtrack on this, the govt will have proved, yet again, that they're no different to the last one.