A TD has criticised the Government’s “half-hearted” efforts to commemorate the death of Pope Francis, saying he believes that the national flag should have been lowered on Government buildings earlier this week.
TD Mattie McGrath told Gript that the Government “could have done better” while Independent Ireland leader, Michael Collins TD, expressed “disappointment” that the flag had not yet been lowered at Leinster House.
It comes as the Government confirmed that public flags are to be flown at half-mast on Saturday to mark Pope Francis’s funeral. However, McGrath said it represented a “half-hearted” effort, adding that the national flag was lowered on the night the late Queen Elizabeth died.
“My feeling is that this response is more of the same coming from our woke Government parties,” Deputy McGrath said. “If we lowered the national flag immediately for Queen Elizabeth, why wouldn’t we do that for the Holy Father? We are a Christian Catholic country so I can’t fathom it. Lowering the flag to half-mast simply for the Pope’s funeral is half-hearted. It would have been nice to show some respect and to have done this earlier.
“Our national parliament could have done better. After all, the Ukrainian flag is still flying high. But to keep our own flag flying high since Monday morning, despite the Holy Father, the Head of State at the Vatican, being deceased, is shocking to me. It’s not right.”
Deputy McGrath said that Ireland should have declared a period of mourning like other countries.
“The other issue is that looking at the Dáil agenda for next week, I cannot see any mention of Pope Francis. There’s loads of focus on International Worker’s Day and other events, but I haven’t seen plans for statements to be made on the death of Pope Francis. I hope I’m wrong. This should be a focus, and I’ll be asking for details.”
Deputy Michael Collins earlier this week said he would be asking the Dáil and the Taoiseach to fly the flag at half-mast over the next number of days until the former Pontiff is buried.
In 2022, the Irish flag was lowered to half mast over Government buildings to mark the death of Queen Elizabeth on 8 September. Some have contrasted that approach with the approach taken since the Pope’s death, and have pointed to the holding of an official period of mourning for the last Pope who died while serving, Pope John Paul II with the death of Pope Francis. When Pope John Paul II died in 2005, his funeral took place on a Friday and schools were given the option of closing, while civil and public service employees were to be facilitated where possible to have time off to attend services.
Speaking outside Leinster House, leader of Independent Ireland, Michael Collins, said: “I think it’s a sad day for this country. It’s a sad time as a Catholic country, and for this country as a Christian country. It’s a sad time for the whole world, but also, we need to rejoice about the great work that Pope Francis has done down through the years.
“And I am disappointed to say the least, to be honest with you, to look at our national flag up over the building [Dáil Éireann] in full flight this morning when I hear that Parliament buildings in Scotland and in the UK and in America and throughout the world have had their flags at half-mast during this occasion.
“So I will be asking the Dáil, and asking the Taoiseach of this country to fly the flag at half-mast over the next number of days, until Pope Francis is buried.”
Aontú leader Peadar Tóibín has welcomed the decision to fly flags at half-mast over public buildings, but called for an official period of mourning, similar to what has been put in place in Spain, India and Cuba.
“We are a pluralist republic and that’s a good thing, but the vast majority of Irish people identify as Catholic,” he told the Irish Times.
Senator Sharon Keogan expressed a similar sentiment this week, writing on social media: “Why is the national flag not at half-mast today in observance of Pope Francis’s passing?
“Ireland is a Catholic nation, regardless of this government’s attitudes towards those of Christian faith. All our national flags on state & government buildings must show a mark of respect for His Holiness Pope Francis.”
The Senator, in an update, said that she had received confirmation that the national flag would be lowered on Saturday, when the Pope’s funeral takes place:
“I’ve just heard back from the Clerk of the Dáil and the Irish flag will fly at half-mast on Saturday, the day of the funeral, in accordance with protocol,” Senator Keogan said.
Over a dozen countries have declared national mourning periods over the death of Pope Francis. They include a host of Latin American countries – Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Cuba, Venezuela, Guatemala, Costa Rica and Panama. Spain, Hungary, India and East Timor also declared days of mourning over the 88-year-old pontiff’s death, while Italy is expected to do the same.
The Vatican enters the Novendiales, a solemn nine-day period of official mourning on the day of the funeral – Saturday. During this time, St. Peter’s Basilica will periodically close for liturgies, whilst the Vatican Museums and the Sistine Chapel are also expected to have periodic closures during the mourning period.