The Taoiseach will become one of the first political leaders to meet Pope Benedict XVI when he has a private audience with him in the Vatican on Thursday. Mark Brennock, Chief Political Correspondent, reports
Mr Ahern will also meet the Vatican Secretary of State, Cardinal Angelo Sodano, to discuss Northern Ireland, developments in the European Union and other international issues, according to the Government.
He will travel to Rome on Wednesday evening for his Thursday morning meeting with the Pope. The encounter will come a week after the Government decided to approve the initiation of a "structured dialogue" with the churches and faith communities, a concept which has been sought at national and EU level by European churches.
The draft EU constitutional treaty provides for such communication with the churches. "Recognising their identity and their specific contribution, the Union shall maintain an open, transparent and regular dialogue with these churches and organisations", the constitution says.
In a statement yesterday the Government said it had decided to proceed with setting up such a dialogue at national level, "despite the current position on the treaty, in recognition of the valued role of the churches and faith communities in civil society".
Archbishop Diarmuid Martin of Dublin called for such an arrangement last year.
He emphasised "times have changed" in Ireland and that the Catholic Church "did not seek a position of privilege". Rather it sought to have a new form of dialogue with the State.
Meanwhile, the first Irish bishop appointed by Pope Benedict, Dr Martin Drennan, was installed as Bishop of Galway yesterday at a ceremony attended by about 2,000 people.