Vatican embassy may reopen within two years, says Creighton

IRELAND will reopen its embassy to the Vatican “within the next year or two if economic conditions allow”, European Affairs Minister Lucinda Creighton has predicted.

The Cabinet decided in November to close the embassy on the recommendation of Tánaiste and Foreign Affairs Minister Eamon Gilmore, who cited economic grounds as the reason.

The move has led to significant opposition from Fine Gael backbenchers, who say they have been receiving extensive complaints from constituents about it.