Govt to lodge formal complaint over McAreavey photos

The Tánaiste Eamon Gilmore will meet with the Irish Ambassador to Mauritius this morning to discuss the publication of photographs of Michaela McAreavey's dead body.

The images of the murder scene appeared in a Mauritian newspaper yesterday morning.

Mr Gilmore said the aim of the meeting is to bring the Irish Government's concerns over the printing of the photos of the murder scene of Ms McAreavey to the attention of the authorities in Mauritius at the highest levels and in the most effective way possible.

In total 12 black-and-white images of Michaela, and the scene where she was murdered, were printed yesterday in a newspaper in Mauritius.

On the front page of the paper a photograph appeared of the former teacher, taken after her death - under the headline 'Exclusive'.

The newly-wed was murdered while on honeymoon at the Legends Hotel in Mauritius last year.

It is still not known who took the photographs or who gave them to the newspaper.

Yesterday, The Taoiseach Enda Kenny described the publication as a "gross affront to human dignity".

Mr Kenny said the Government will be lodging a formal complaint with the Mauritian Government.