The Pope with Irish President Mr Michael Higgins

On Thursday, 19 October, in the Vatican Apostolic Palace, the Holy Father received in audience H.E. Mr Michael D. Higgins, President of Ireland, who then met with H.E. Cardinal Secretary of State Pietro Parolin, accompanied by H.E. Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher, Secretary for Relations with States and International Organizations.

During the cordial discussions in the Secretariat of State, satisfaction was expressed at the good relations between Ireland and the Holy See, and mention was made of some issues of common interest.

Attention then turned to some matters of a global nature, such as food security in developing countries and commitment to the elimination of poverty, the protection of the environment in the light of the publication of the Apostolic Exhortation Laudate Deum, the phenomenon of migration in the delicate current world geopolitical situation, and the development of a multilateralism that might respond adequately to the current international conjuncture.