Phoenix Park to close for 24 hours to facilitate visit of Chinese premier next week

File image of Chinese Premier Li Qiang who will visit Ireland next week.

THE PHOENIX PARK will be closed for a 24-hour period next week as part of security precautions around the visit of Chinese Premier Li Qiang.

Premier Li is a close confidant of Chinese President Xi Jinping, who nominated him to the position last year.

He will meet with Taoiseach Leo Varadkar on Wednesday 17 January at Farmleigh House, with the pair expected to discuss global issues, bilateral issues and EU-China relations.

Varadkar yesterday said he is looking forward to meeting with Premier Li and that he is “Premier Li has decided to include Ireland in his itinerary.”

Varadkar added: “Under our Asia-Pacific Strategy, the Government is also committed to growing our bilateral political, economic and people to people relationships throughout the region, including with China.

“I look forward to what I hope will be an in-depth and constructive discussion on issues where we are of like-mind, as well as those on which we have a different perspective.”

Premier Li will be visiting Ireland on 16 and 17 January and the visit will be concentrated in the Dublin area, including the Phoenix Park and Dublin South City Centre.

Traffic restrictions will be in place throughout his visit but a garda spokesperson said these will be “kept to the minimum required and it is intended that any impact on the public will be localised and minimal”.

Further specific details on local road closures and traffic diversions will be published in advance of the visit.

However, gardaí have confirmed that the Phoenix Park will be closed from 7pm on Tuesday 16 to 7pm on Wednesday 17.

Arrangements will be in place for access to residents, staff and stakeholders through Chapelizod Gate and Cabra Gate.

Li will arrive and depart from Dublin Airport and while normal operations will continue at the airport at all times, additional time should be allowed due to possible rolling road closures, particularly on Tuesday evening and Wednesday afternoon.

A garda spokesperson said the “objective is to continue to share as much information with the public where necessary as soon as we are in a position to do so”.

The public has also been asked to “heed the advice and instructions of gardaí” and the public has been thanked in advance for their continuing co-operation.

“Gardaí have and continue to liaise with business and local residents in the key locations and will continue to communicate directly with them during the visit,” said the garda spokesperson.

“In general the public, in the areas affected, is advised to plan their day, leave extra time for their journeys and to expect some localised delays.

“Real-time updates will be provided, where appropriate and required on An Garda Síochána social media platforms.”

The visit will take place in the days following a pivotal election in Taiwan.

Voters in Taiwan will head to the polls tomorrow in an election which is being watched from Beijing to Washington because the next president will determine Taiwan’s future relations with China.

China views Taiwan as a renegade province and has never renounced the use of force to take it one day.

In an address given last year, that is understood to not have been welcomed by the Chinese Embassy, Tánaiste and Foreign Affairs Minister Micheál Martin said Ireland will be clear that the maintenance of stability and the status quo in relation to Taiwan is critical.

“Any attempt to change the status quo by force would not be acceptable,” he said, stating that “any serious escalation would have consequences for all countries”.

“Let there be no doubt – Ireland adheres to, and will continue to adhere to, the One China Policy. This means that we do not have diplomatic relations with Taiwan.

“We recognise the People’s Republic of China as the legal representative of China. That is not in question.

“But this does not preclude the development of economic, cultural and people-to-people connections with Taiwan; nor the meaningful participation of Taiwan in relevant multilateral fora,” said Martin.

-With additional reporting from Christina Finn