President Higgins returns to Rome

Having this morning signed the bill to liquidate Irish Bank Resolution Corporation (IBRC), the former Anglo Irish Bank, President Michael D Higgins returned to Italy at lunchtime today in order to continue his three day visit to the Italian capital.

The President’s visit, at the invitation of Italian President Giorgio Napolitano and held to mark the Irish presidency of the EU, was dramatically interrupted last night when he returned to Dublin in order to sign the IBRC bill.

His scheduled programme in Rome, however, has suffered but minimal upset with the President and Mrs Higgins having returned to the Eternal City in plenty of time for tonight’s gala reception at the Palazzo Quirinale, the residence of the Italian President.

The President is reported to be tired and short of sleep after his back and forth Rome-Dublin-Rome trips.

Given that he had to wait until late last night for the government jet to be flown out from Ireland to Rome, an already taxing itinerary was further lengthened.

The President will pay a courtesy visit to the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) in Rome tomorrow as well as visit the Irish Franciscan church of St. Isidore’s. He will return to Dublin on Saturday.