Canberra, ACT

On Monday 16 October 2017, at Government House, Canberra, the Governor-General, General the Honourable Sir Peter Cosgrove AK MC (Retd), received the Ambassador to the Republic of Ireland, Mr Richard Andrews.

Afterwards, the Governor-General and Lady Cosgrove hosted a Ceremonial Welcome for the President of the Republic of Ireland, His Excellency Mr Michael D. Higgins, and Mrs Sabina Higgins.

Then, the Governor-General and Lady Cosgrove met with His Excellency Mr Michael D Higgins, and Mrs Sabina Higgins and received: Tánaiste and Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation, Ms Frances Fitzgerald TD; Ambassador for Ireland, His Excellency Mr Breandán Ó Caollaí and Ms Carmel Callan; Secretary General to the President, Mr Art O’Leary; Deputy Secretary General, Department of Foreign Affairs & Trade, Mr Brendan Rogers; Assistant Secretary, Department of the Taoiseach, Mr Philip Hamell; Chief of Protocol, Mr Feilim McLaughlin; Adviser to the President, Ms Claire Power; Adviser to the Tánaiste, Ms Marion Mannion; Executive Assistant to the President, Mr Kevin McCarthy; Personal Assistant to Mrs Sabina Higgins, Ms Laura Donegan; and Aide-de-Camp to the President, Colonel Michael Kiernan.

In the afternoon, the Governor-General and Lady Cosgrove hosted a State Lunch in honour of His Excellency Mr Michael D Higgins and Mrs Sabina Higgins. Guests included: Mr Richard Andrews; Air Chief Marshal Mark Binskin AC and Mrs Gitte Binskin; Senator the Honourable George Brandis; His Excellency Mr Breandán Ó Caollaí and Ms Carmel Callan; Mr Fergal Coleman; Mr Charles Curran AC; Ms Janice Currie-Henderson and Mr Robert Henderson; Ms Laura Donegan; Ms Frances Fitzgerald T.D.; Dr David Gruen and Ms Jenny Wilkinson; Mr Philip Hamell; The Honourable Patrick Keane AC and Dr Shelley Keane; Mr Thomas Keneally AO and Mrs Judith Keneally; The Honourable Susan Kiefel AC; Colonel Michael Kiernan; His Excellency Mr Nabil Lakhal; Ms Yvonne Le Bas; Senator Sue Lines; Ms Marion Mannion; Mr Kevin McCarthy; Ms Martha McEvoy and Mr Nick Housego; Mr Feilim McLaughlin; Mr Art O’Leary; Senator Deborah O’Neill; Ms Claire Power; Minister Gordon Ramsay MLA; Mr Brendan Rogers; Senator the Honourable Zed Seselja; and Ms Julie Sinnamon.

Afterwards, at St John’s Care, Reid, the Governor-General, as guests of the Director, Mr Stuart David-Meehan, viewed the OzHarvest van and St John’s Care facilities and then met with staff and volunteers.