IRELAND: Places of work and leisure have been asked to pause for three minutes' silence at 11 a.m. today in memory of the victims of the Asian tsunami disaster.
The President, Mrs McAleese, has invited members of the resident diplomatic corps and honorary consular representatives, as well as members of the Irish aid community, to join her at Aras an Úachtaráin for the occasion, which was suggested by Luxembourg, current holder of the EU presidency.
A drummer and piper from the Defence Forces will also participate in the brief ceremony.
Ministers are due to honour the silence at a scheduled Cabinet meeting at Government Buildings today. The Taoiseach said he had asked all public buildings to fly the national flag at half-mast.
Both the Irish Congress of Trade Unions and the employers' group IBEC have urged businesses to observe the period of reflection.
Mr Turlough O'Sullivan, director general of IBEC, added: "It is important that companies engaged in the provision of continuous services or continuous production arrange appropriate cover for the duration of the three minutes' silence."
