President Higgins returns to Dublin

President Michael D. Higgins unexpectedly returned home to Dublin tonight from Rome where he had just completed day one of a three day visit to mark the Irish Presidency of the EU.

A spokesman for the President said that he had returned home at short notice because of the "possibility of there being legislation to consider".

The spokesman confirmed the legislation in question concerns the government’s plan to liquidate the IRBC bank, formerly Anglo-Irish. The President is expected to return to Rome tomorrow in time to attend a reception this evening held in his honour by Italian President Giorgio Napolitano.

On Friday, President Higgins is due to visit the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) in Rome, whilst he returns to Ireland on Saturday. His change of schedule today means that he will forgo a visit to the Pontifical Irish College in Rome.