McAleese had been due to speak at the Why Women Matter conference on 8 March.

Former President of Ireland Mary McAleese has been barred from speaking at a conference that was due to take place in the Vatican next month. According to the Irish Times, McAleese was one of three people on a list of speakers due to attend the conference who were not granted approval by Cardinal Kevin Farrell, the most senior Irish figure in the Vatican. In light of the decision, Voices of Faith, the organisers of the Why Women Matter conference, being held to mark International Women’s Day, have decided to move the event to a location outside the Vatican and have invited McAleese to be a keynote speaker. Voices of Faith managing director, Chantal Götz, told the Irish Times that appeals to the Cardinal to change his mind on the matter were unsuccessful and that they have decided to move the location of the conference as a result. McAleese, meanwhile, is believed to have sent a letter about the matter to Pope Francis, who is due to visit Ireland later this year as part of the World Meeting of Families event, an event in which Cardinal Farrell is heavily involved.