Lord Mayor of Dublin Caroline Conroy has said that there will be no live animals in the crib at the Mansion House this Christmas.

Making the announcement to Dublin City Council on Monday, Conroy said that she aims to make the crib better this Christmas, as in the last few years it has been an "underwhelming" experience for families.

A Christmas post box, a sleigh that children can get into, children’s choirs and a Christmas trail are among the new ideas for the crib this year.

However, she did say that there would be nothing to stop a future Lord Mayor bringing back the live animal crib.

'Better experience'

"I'd like to reassure people that what we are aiming to do it is to make the experience better this Christmas.

"There will be a crib at the Mansion House this Christmas - the only difference is that there will not be live animals in the crib," she said,

The Green Party politician informed Dublin City Council's protocol committee at its meeting on Thursday 27 October of her decision to not have the live animal crib this Christmas. The Mansion House is Conroy's prerogative as Lord Mayor.

At Monday's council meeting, Conroy said: "None of the members of the protocol committee, which is representative of all political groupings on the council, raised concerns about the plan.

"It is unfortunate from the perspective of the council that a member of the protocol committee informed the media before my office had an opportunity to contact the IFA or the DSPA."