Ireland to close its Vatican embassy

IRELAND will close its embassy to the Vatican, one of the Catholic country’s oldest missions, as part of a cost-cutting programme.

Relations betweenDublin and the Vatican are at an all-time low over the church’s handling of sex abuse cases. But Eamon Gilmore, minister for foreign affairs, denied the closure was linked.

“Our diplomatic relations with the Vatican will continue and they are valued,” he said.