Former US president Barack Obama is set to receive the freedom of the city of Dublin later this week.
Lord Mayor of Dublin Ray McAdam said it is his “firm expectation” Mr Obama will be awarded the city’s highest honour at an event on Thursday.
The Fine Gael councillor said arrangements are being finalised with Mr Obama’s team. He said an invitation was extended to the former US president last July, which was accepted over recent days.
“I expect the event to proceed this Thursday,” Mr McAdam told The Irish Times on Tuesday.
RM Block
Mr Obama is visiting the capital this week for a sold-out event at the 3Arena, An Evening with President Barack Obama, In Conversation with Fintan O’Toole on Friday evening.
In 2017, a proposal to award the freedom of the capital to Mr Obama and his wife Michelle faced some opposition before being approved by 30 to 23 votes.
It had been proposed by then lord mayor Brendan Carr, who cited the Democrat’s Irish roots and support for peace in Northern Ireland, shortly after he was succeeded by Donald Trump.
The then Labour councillor said while he did not wish to “canonise the Obamas” or declare his presidency “a success”, Mr Obama was a “stabilising and moderating” influence on US foreign policy.
“A similar era, unfortunately, will not be experienced again for some time,” Mr Carr said.
People Before Profit councillor Conor Reddy said over recent weeks that the invitation should be rescinded over the former Democratic president’s support of Israel and military expansion in the Middle East whilst in office.
