Senators will wine and dine in private with the papal nuncio in Leinster House tomorrow — a year after blistering criticism of the Vatican in the Dáil.

His predecessor left under a cloud of controversy, so it was left to the new papal nuncio to Ireland to promise to do “everything in my power to solidify and strengthen the relations between the Holy See and Ireland”.

The Pope will be treated with respect if he comes to Ireland, Taoiseach Enda Kenny said as he insisted the closure of the Vatican embassy was not about religion.