The State funeral of former Taoiseach John Bruton will take place in Meath later today. 

The service will take place at 11am today at St Peter and Paul’s Church in Dunboyne followed by his burial in Rooske Cemetery. 

It is the first State funeral to take place in Ireland in a decade and will be led by Father Patrick O’Connor. 

Full Military honours will be carried out by around 180 members of the Defence Forces. 

Captain Kevin Kenny explained when the funeral mass is over, the Chief Martial will “call the parade to attention”. 

“[They will] carry his remains from the church door to the gun carriage and it will be placed on the gun carriage, at which point the funeral cortege and the pallbearers will be lined up,” he said. 

“There will be a national and brigade colour party to the fore, and they will lead the gun carriage from the church to the cemetery.” 

John Bruton and Albert Reynolds, former Taoiseachs of Ireland. Image: Stephen Barnes/Politics / Alamy Stock Photo

A more private removal service for friends and family of Mr Bruton took place last night in St Peter and Paul’s. 

Old colleagues of his including former Justice Minister and Fine Gael Deputy Leader Nora Owen the former and former Health Minister James Reilly were in attendance. 

Current ministers such as Catherine Martin, Heather Humphreys and Roderic O'Gorman also attended the service last night. 

He was remembered as a true Statesman and someone who always had justice at the forefront of his mind. 

76-year-old Mr Bruton died on Tuesday surrounded by family. 

Mr Bruton was Taoiseach of Ireland from 1994 to 1997, leading the Rainbow Coalition of Fine Gael, Labour, and the Democratic Left and was leader of Fine Gael from 1990 to 2001.  

He served as a TD for Meath from June 1969 to October 2004.  

Elected at the age of 22, he was one of the youngest ever members of the Dáil at that time.