CONFIRMATIONS IN the Catholic Church look set to resume in Ireland later this summer.
The news was announced following the conclusion of the Irish Catholic Bishops' Conference, which was held over video call by Archbishop Eamon Martin and Archbishop Diarmuid Martin.
The number of children that can be confirmed at any one time has yet to be determined and will likely be in line with whatever public health guidelines are put in place by the government.
In a statement issued following the conference, Bishops sought to acknowledge the efforts of countless children and families across Ireland who continue to prepare for the sacraments despite the ongoing difficulties presented by Covid-19.
They did, however, confirm that all local arrangements are likely to be put in place by late summer or, potentially even early Autumn.
The statement read: "In accordance with current public guidelines, bishops expect that the Sacrament of Confirmation will begin to be celebrated from late summer onwards.
"In arranging the celebrations, public health guidelines will determine the number of candidates that can be confirmed at a time.
"Local arrangements will only take shape later in the late summer/early autumn.
“Bishops acknowledged with gratitude how children and their families have continued in their preparation for the sacrament during these difficult days for everybody."