Varadkar stands over plan for Royal Irish Constabulary commemoration

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has said he is disappointed that some people are choosing to boycott a commemoration to remember officers who served in the Royal Irish Constabulary and the Dublin Metropolitan Police prior to independence.

The event is due to take place in Dublin Castle on 17 January, with Minister for Justice Charlie Flanagan and Garda Commissioner Drew Harris scheduled to address the event.

Several opposition politicians have said they will boycott the event.

This afternoon, Mr Varadkar said: "It's a shame that people are boycotting it. The Government stands over the decision to hold the event."

Minister for Justice Charlie Flanagan added to Mr Varadkar's comments this afternoon, saying: "The approach to the Decade of Centenaries has made clear that there is no hierarchy of Irishness and that our goal of reconciliation on the island of Ireland can only be achieved through mutual understanding and mutual respect of the different traditions on the island."

Mr Flanagan said the event was one of a large number of events taking place during this decade "to acknowledge and commemorate significant events or developments in the history of our island one hundred years ago".

He said: "It is not a celebration. It is an acknowledgement [of] the historical importance of both the DMP and the RIC, and is in no sense a commemoration of the 'Black & Tans' or the 'Auxiliaries'."

The Black and Tans were recruited from March 1920 to supplement the RIC. They were mainly former British army soldiers.

They got their name from the mixture of dark green RIC tunics and khaki British army trousers they wore.

The 'Auxiliaries' were an auxiliary division of the RIC, made up of ex-British army officers, created from July 1920.

Mr Flanagan said: "It is disappointing to see some public representatives abandon the principles of mutual understanding and reconciliation in an effort to gain headlines."