President Michael D Higgins underwent knee surgery at the Bon Secours Hospital in Renmor, Galway earlier today.
A spokesman for the President said no comment would be made other than the surgery to repair an old injury was complete. Mr Higgins slipped on wet tiles during an aid agency trip to Colombia last year.
It is understood that Mr Higgins (70) is recovering well and will maintain his schedule to return to work early next week. The President’s programme, for the remainder of the Christmas period, will continue on his return to the Áras and he is due to spend Christmas there with his family.
In recent days Mr Higgins was seen to limp significantly, but an extensive list of public engagements were completed up until yesterday afternoon when he hosted a satellite link in the Aras between Irish soldiers serving in the Lebanon and their families.
:quality(70)/s3.amazonaws.com/arc-authors/irishtimes/8a09a42a-bf7b-491e-848d-432f8309b3fa.png)