Also
Welcome to H.E. Céline Place, new Ambassador of France to Ireland
Her Excellency, Jenny Piaget, Ambassador of Switzerland, and Her Excellency, Céline Place, Ambassador of France presented their Letters of Credence to President Michael D. Higgins at Áras an Uachtaráin today.
Her Excellency, Jenny Piaget, Ambassador of Switzerland was accompanied by her spouse, Mr. Nicolas Pierre, Ms. Aliénor Pierre, her daughter and Mr. Andreas Lüssi, Deputy Head of Mission at the Embassy of Switzerland.
Her Excellency, Céline Place, Ambassador of France was accompanied by her spouse Mr. Trancréde de la Morinerie, her sons Mr. Virgile and Camille de la Morinerie, and Mr. Armel T’Kint de Roodenbeke, Deputy Head of Mission at the Embassy of France.
Mr. James Lawless T.D., Minister of State at the Department of Transport with special responsibility for International and Road Transport and Logistics; and at the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications with special responsibility for Postal Policy, represented the Government at the ceremony.
The following were also present: Ms. Orla O’Hanrahan, Secretary General to the President; Mr. John Conlan, Deputy Secretary General, Chief Operating Officer and Chief Financial Officer, Department of Foreign Affairs; Mr. Eamonn McKee, Chief of Protocol, Department of Foreign Affairs; Col. Stephen Howard, Comdt. Brian Walsh, Capt. Austin Doyle and Capt. Pol O’Donnell, Aides-de-Camp to the President; and Mr. Joe Brennan, 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 Brian O’Keefe.
A Guard of Honour was provided at Áras an Uachtaráin by the Air Corps, Casement Aerodrome, Baldonnel, Co. Dublin under the command of Lieutenant Enda Cloake.
Lieutenant Antoin Dargan from the Air Corps, Casement Aerodrome, Baldonnel, Co. Dublin was the flag officer.
Captain Tom Kelly conducted the No. 1 Army Band, which is based in Cathal Brugha Barracks, Dublin
