President Higgins asks for inauguration ceremony delay over Armistice commemorations
President Michael D Higgins has written to the Taoiseach Leo Varadkar asking for a delay to his inauguration ceremony next weekend.
The ceremony on Sunday, November 11, coincides with the centenary of the Armistice, which signalled the end of the first World War.
In a statement, the President said he is conscious of the desire of many Irish people to participate in morning commemoration ceremonies.
He has requested that the government change normal procedure and hold the inauguration in the evening.
The statement said: "President Higgins has today written to the Taoiseach, Leo Varadkar TD, concerning the arrangements for his inauguration on 11 November.
"The date of the inauguration coincides with the centenary of the Armistice which signalled the end of the first World War and the President, conscious of the desire of many Irish people to participate in morning commemoration ceremonies, and of the invitations to Members of the Government to represent the State at ceremonies abroad, has asked for these special circumstances to be borne in mind in the arrangements.
"In a change to the normal procedure, the President has asked the government to make the arrangements for the inauguration ceremony for the evening of the 11 November so as to accommodate all of those who wish to mark the cessation of hostilities and to remember the Irish men and women and all those who lost their lives or were wounded during World War I."
