The new ambassadors to Ireland from France, Malta, Latvia and the Vatican presented their Letters of Credence to President Michael D Higgins at Áras an Uachtaráin earlier this month.

Apostolic Nuncio Archbishop Jude Thaddeus Okolo was accompanied by deputy head of mission, the Very Reverend Mgr Piotr Tarnawski.

Stéphane Crouzat, ambassador of France, was accompanied by his spouse Jennifer Zeitlin, his daughter Zoe Crouzat and deputy head of mission Lionel Paradisi-Coulouma.

Leonard Sacco, ambassador of the Republic of Malta, was accompanied by his spouse Theresa Sacco, his daughter Charlotte Moore, his son Terence Sacco and the Maltese Embassy’s first secretary Karl Matthew Xuereb.

Jānis Sīlis, ambassador of the Republic of Latvia, was accompanied by Nora Redliha, head of the consular section at the Latvian Embassy.

Minister of State for Higher Education Mary Mitchell O’Connor represented the Government at the ceremony, which was also attended by Art O’Leary, secretary-general to the President; Col Michael Kiernan, aide-de-camp to the President; Niall Burgess, secretary-general in the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade; and Feilim McLaughlin, Joe Brennan, Patrick O’Reilly and Claire Buckley representing protocol in the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

The ambassadors were escorted to and from Áras an Uachtaráin by an escort of honour consisting of a motorcycle detachment drawn from the 2nd Cavalry Squadron at Dublin’s Cathal Brugha Barracks, under the command of Lieutenant Karl Dempsey.

A guard of honour was provided at Áras an Uachtaráin by the 1st Infantry Battalion, Dún Uí Mhaoilíosa, Renmore im Galway under the command of Lieutenant Catherine Smyth.

Captain Tom Kelly conducted the Army No 2 Brigade Band from Custume Barracks in Athlone, Co Westmeath.