A State funeral will be held for former Taoiseach John Bruton this weekend.
Mr Bruton died early yesterday morning following a long battle with illness.
His funeral service will be held at 11am in St Peter and Paul’s Church in Dunboyne, Co Meath, on Saturday, while a removal will take place on Friday evening at 7pm.
He will be taken to Rooske Cemetery in Dunboyne following the funeral service.
Tributes have been pouring in for Mr Bruton who was Taoiseach from 1994 to 1997 when he led the rainbow coalition government of Fine Gael, Labour and Democratic Left.
He was leader of Fine Gael from 1990 to 31 January, 2001.
He was re-elected to the Dáil in May 2002 and resigned his seat on 31 October, 2004, and was appointed as the EU Ambassador to the United States the following month.
He was widely credited with playing an important part in Northern Ireland’s peace process in the years leading to the 1998 Good Friday Agreement, which largely ended three decades of sectarian conflict.
During his tenure he also steered through a referendum that paved the way for the legalisation of divorce.
President Michael D Higgins said it was a “privilege” to serve as a member of Dáil Éireann and of Cabinet with Mr Bruton, and described him as a “very energetic Taoiseach”.
He paid tribute to him, saying he was a “deeply committed politician, who demonstrated a life-long interest and engagement in public affairs and public service both in Ireland and internationally.”
Today, people came to Dublin’s Mansion House to sign the Book of Condolences.
The flag over Leinster House also hung at half mast as a mark of respect to Mr Bruton.
