Taoiseach Bertie Ahern has said he believes Queen Elizabeth will pay a formal visit to the Republic.
"We have had a number of visits from members of the royal family in recent years. It is a fact, I think, that the queen would like to come here.
"As things move on in Northern Ireland, and we make some further progress, I think that will happen too. But it is not imminent," said Mr Ahern.
He added he had no knowledge of a mooted visit by Pope Benedict XVI to Ireland.
"Obviously, we would welcome a papal visit," the Taoiseach said.
On Thursday, speaking after the announcement the Catholic Primate, Archbishop Seán Brady, is to become a cardinal, Archbishop Diarmuid Martin of Dublin said the move was a "sign of the interest of Benedict XVI to come to Northern Ireland, if not in the immediate future".
In a lecture at the Irish Institute in New York University, Dr Martin said: "Such a visit, alongside one of Queen Elizabeth to Dublin, would have the symbolic meaning of ending an era of our history and opening to something new, North and South."