His Excellency, Mr. Bernardo Lucena, Ambassador of Portugal, His Excellency, Mr. Ruggero Corrias, Ambassador of Italy and Her Excellency, Ms. Gurly Gibson Schwarz, Ambassador of the Republic of Liberia, presented their Letters of Credence to President Michael D. Higgins at Áras an Uachtaráin today.
His Excellency, Mr. Bernardo Lucena, Ambassador of Portugal, was accompanied by his wife, Mrs. Rita Lucena and Mr. Henrique Sousa de Azevedo, Deputy Head of Mission.
His Excellency, Mr. Ruggero Corrias, Ambassador of Italy, was accompanied by Mr. Donato Scioscioli, Deputy Head of Mission.
Her Excellency, Ms. Gurly Gibson Schwarz, Ambassador of the Republic of Liberia was accompanied by her husband, Dr Harald Schwarz and Mr Sekou Kaba, Embassy Official.
Mr Thomas Byrne TD, Minister of State at the Department of the Taoiseach and at the Department of Foreign Affairs, with responsibility for EU Affairs represented the Government at the ceremony.
The following were also present: Ms. Orla O’Hanrahan, Secretary General to the President; Mr. Joseph Hackett, Secretary General, Department of Foreign Affairs; Col. Stephen Howard, Comdt Brian Walsh, Comdt Deirdre Newell, Aides-de-Camp to the President; Mr. Gerald Angley, Mr. Joe Brennan and Ms. Cathy Barnicle, Protocol, Department of Foreign Affairs.
The Ambassadors were accompanied to and from Áras an Uachtaráin by an Escort of Honour consisting of a motorcycle detachment drawn from the 2 Brigade Cavalry Squadron, Cathal Brugha Barracks, Dublin, under the command of Lieutenant Daniel Baldwin.
A Guard of Honour was provided at Áras an Uachtaráin by the 1 Mechanised Infantry Company, DFTC, Kildare, under the command of Lieutenant Michael Hickey.
Captain Fergal Carroll conducted the Band of the 1st Brigade, Collins Barracks, Cork.
Second Lieutenant Sophie Dunworth, from the 1 Mechanised Infantry Company, DFTC, Kildare, was the flag officer.
