Plans are being made for a State visit by Queen Elizabeth, the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ms Liz O'Donnell, confirmed yesterday.
She was responding to Fine Gael foreign affairs spokesman, Mr Gay Mitchell, during questions. He had asked if the Minister agreed that a "State visit by the British monarch would be most welcome".
Given the North-South and East-West elements of the agreement which were intertwined, Mr Mitchell asked the Minister to confirm that "such a visit is on the cards".
The Minister of State said she understood that "some plans are in train in that regard and I would warmly welcome such a development".
She said her senior colleague, the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr Andrews, was yesterday meeting the queen in London with the President, Mrs McAleese.
"At this stage of political development in Ireland and given the new relationships which have been put in place between the two is lands as outlined by the British Prime Minister, Mr Tony Blair, in his address to the Houses of the Oireachtas last year, there is no reason such a visit by the monarch should not take place."
