Green Lord Mayor Caroline Conroy has broken her silence on ‘Cribgate.’
She said her own alternative Christmas crib with no live animals will be “inclusive” and “fantastic.”
Ms Conroy has maintained a stony silence since it was announced that her decision to have no animals at her Nativity scene outside the Mansion House this year had been undermined by OPW Minister Patrick O’Donovan.
The Fine Gael minister announced on Tuesday that he has brought together the IFA and OPW to put on a rival live crib, which will have real farm animals.
The location at St Stephen’s Green will be just a stone throw from the crib with no animals at the Mansion House.
Speaking exclusively to the Irish Mirror at the launch of Dublin Lights in Merrion Square, the Lord Mayor wished the rival crib well.
She said: “I wish them the best of luck, I’m going to launch my own Christmas at the Mansion House on Friday.
“It will have the crib, it just won’t have the live animals in it.
“It will be fantastic and it’s there for everybody to be included and have a bit of fun at Christmas.”
Ms Conroy holds no grudge against Mr O’Donovan and the organisers of the rival live crib.
She added: “That’s for them to do what they want to do, but I’m happy that what I’m doing is different this year and I wanted to be inclusive and that’s what’s going to happen now on Friday.
The Mirror pressed the Lord Mayor further, asking if she considered the move from O’Donovan to be no more than a political stunt.
She said: “I’m not going to get into it because it’s Christmas and I want it to be positive and happy and that’s what I am going to do.”
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