Statement by TUV South Down Assembly candidate Councillor Henry Reilly:
“While yesterday’s comments by the Irish Government suggest that they are belatedly taking the concerns of the Church of Ireland on board it is scandalous that Protestant churches in the capital of the Republic are considering closing on the most important date in the Christian calendar.
“With all the hype about the centenary of the rebellion it seems that the powers that be in Dublin have forgotten that Easter was about Christ long before it had any connection with events in a Dublin Post Office.
“It is deeply worrying that this event looks set to disrupt people who seek to exercise freedom of worship in the 21st century.
“The Republic needs to take a step back and consider what they would be saying if an Orange parade in Belfast was forcing Roman Catholic places of worship to close on a major date in the Roman Catholic calendar.
“The bottom line is that Easter will always be about the “blood sacrifice” of Christ rather than that of Patrick Pearse.”