Northern politicians will be invited to join Ministers, TDs, the judiciary, diplomats and other dignitaries on the reviewing stand for the military parade on Easter Sunday to commemorate the 90th anniversary of the 1916 Rising.
A Government spokeswoman confirmed yesterday that MLAs would be included among the groups who would get invitations to the event. She added that an all-party steering committee to plan the 100th anniversary of the Rising will meet for the first time today.
The spokeswoman also said that the Government had yesterday approved a stamp to commemorate the Battle of the Somme in 1916. The Government also intended to hold a ceremony at the war memorial in Islandbridge in July to mark the event.
The anniversary of the Easter Rising will be commemorated by a military parade involving 2,500 personnel, representing all branches of the Defence Forces along with veterans of UN service. The parade will also include members of the Garda Síochána, representing their service abroad with the UN. A fly-past by the Air Corps is also planned.
The military parade will start from Dublin Castle and will pass through Dame Street, College Green and O'Connell Street. There will be a reading of the Proclamation outside the GPO and appropriate military honours will be rendered. The event will be televised live.
The day will also be marked by a wreath-laying ceremony in Kilmainham Gaol earlier that morning and by a Government reception at Dublin Castle that evening.
In the Dáil last night Minister for Justice Michael McDowell said the arrangements for forthcoming celebratory events in Dublin may have to be considered in the context of the violence in the city last weekend.
