Public to say final farewell to true statesman

MEMBERS of the public will be allowed to pay their final respects to former taoiseach Garret FitzGerald who was last night remembered as an outstanding statesman who made a lasting contribution to peace and placed Ireland at the heart of Europe.

He passed away early yesterday, just hours after a historic speech by Queen Elizabeth II in Dublin Castle — something made possible by one of his greatest achievements, the Anglo-Irish Agreement.

Taoiseach Enda Kenny said he believed the spirit of Dr FitzGerald was “happy in the knowledge that he contributed greatly to the progress of Ireland, not just in the healing of the past but in setting out a substantial platform for the future”.