Saturday, November 19, 2011

Former ambassador to US criticises embassy closure

A former Irish ambassador to the United States has criticised the closure of the Irish embassy to the Vatican in Rome, saying that it is a mistake, and that talks between the Irish Government and the Vatican should be “intensified not diluted.” 

Writing in The Tablet magazine, Seán Donlon, a former Secretary General of the Department of Foreign Affairs said it was difficult to accept that the closure came merely to save money.  Rather, he writes, it is a “reflection of the continuing deterioration of relations.”

The slide began a generation ago, he asserts, when the Irish Government clashed with the Vatican over the Northern Ireland situation.  Ireland was against any contact with terrorist organisations like the Provisional IRA, whereas the Vatican’s position “appeared ambivalent.”

In more recent time, the tensions became much greater over the handling of allegations of clerical child sex abuse, culminating in Enda Kenny’s attack on the culture of the Vatican, and the Vatican’s 25 page explanation, which was accepted by the government. 

However, they did not “resile from the original accusation that in 1997 the then Nuncio in Dublin, Archbishop Luciano Storero, ‘provided a pretext for some members of the clergy to evade full cooperation with the Irish civil authorities in regard to the abuse of minors’”.

The low-key reaction to the announcement of the closure may indicate that the move has public support but, “domestic popularity is not a good basis for the formulation of foreign policy,” writes Donlon.  

He points out that ongoing issues between the Irish Church and State, like the continuing investigations into clerical child sex abuse, the review of the Church’s involvement in education and maybe healthcare and a possible Visitation to the civil authorities, would all “benefit from having a resident listening and negotiation point at the Holy See.”

Additionally there has been a long-standing tradition of cooperation between Ireland and the Holy See on international affairs, not least because of the coincidence of foreign policy interests, he writes.  

“Both give priority to aid for developing nations, protection of the environment, peaceful resolution of disputes and human rights.”

“Irish relations with the Holy See are clearly at a low point, but it is precisely for that reason that both sides should intensify rather than dilute their diplomatic activities.”

Meanwhile a senior Fianna Fail TD has attacked the government over the closure saying that he didn’t believe the decision was made for financial reasons.

Eamon O’Cuiv  said savings could easily have been made elsewhere and argued Ireland's international reputation would be damaged by the move at a time when countries such as Britain, Australia and Russia have all upgraded missions to the Holy See.

"When has Ireland decided that issues such as human rights, third world aid, freedom of religion, the environment, disarmament or democracy are not important any more, and that everything is just a matter of economic gain?" he said in the Dáil.

Ireland has had a resident embassy to the Holy See since 1929.

From early next year the country will maintain relations with the Holy See through an ambassador based in Dublin.