Minister for Foreign Affairs Charlie Flanagan on Wednesday attended the battle of the Somme anniversary in Belfast, the first senior Minister from the Republic to officially participate in the event.

Mr Flanagan joined in the official ceremony at Belfast City Hall to commemorate the 99th anniversary of the 1916 World War I battle in which more than 3,500 soldiers from the island of Ireland were killed at the Somme, with thousands more injured and fighting.

This is the first time a senior Minister has attended the Belfast ceremony. The Government has been represented at Minister of State level since 2012.

Shortly before 11.30 am in the Belfast garden of remembrance he laid a laurel wreath at the cenotaph. He joined dignitaries such as First Minister Peter Robinson and Northern Secretary Theresa Villiers who laid poppy wreaths.

Separately at 9.30am the Belfast Sinn Féin Lord Mayor Arder Carson laid a laurel wreath at the cenotaph. He was joined in that ceremony by Sinn Fein councillor colleagues.

Mr Flanagan said he was honoured to represent the Government at the “important” commemoration.

"While the Battle of the Somme has a particular resonance in Northern Ireland, it was a significant event for this island as a whole," he said.

“Participating in commemorations creates an opportunity for greater understanding of and respect for all of the historical perspectives on this island. This, in turn, fosters reconciliation and helps to heal the divisions of the past,” he added.

Mr Flanagan said that for the Somme centenary next year the Government will formally remember “the loss of life of individuals from all parts of the island of Ireland at a State Ceremony in Dublin”.

Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht Heather Humphreys is representing the Government at commemorations at the Somme in France on Wednesday.