President Michael D Higgins has led Irish tributes to Pope Francis, saying there was a "warmth" to the Pope, who brought a "unique humility" to the role.
The Vatican announced the Pope's death this morning.
President Higgins said that the pontiff "sought to show in the most striking and moving of ways, the extraordinary importance of the spiritual" as a powerful source of global ethics in the challenges of contemporary life".
He said that Pope Francis' voice constituted a "consistent invocation of a shared humanity" and he was vocal on the "vital issues of our time" including global hunger, poverty, climate change and justice.
"These issues I had the privilege of discussing at length with Pope Francis across our five meetings over the course of his Papacy," he said in a statement.
"During his visit to Ireland, Pope Francis spoke of the scandal of child abuse, including in the Church, and its consequences for victims and families. On such matters, and on others such as attitudes towards women and those of the LGBTQ+ community within the Church, Pope Francis sought to play a positive role," the President said.
"I recall at the end of our meetings he would say as to his work on such issues, 'it is very difficult', as he asked for and offered prayers. It is important that the steps he took are built upon as they constitute a source of hope in the years to come."
A legacy of peace
Taoiseach Micheál Martin said Pope Francis' legacy is "his message of peace, reconciliation, and solidarity that lives in the hearts of those he inspired".
In a statement, the Fianna Fáil leader said that Pope Francis "long and distinguished papacy was marked by his unwavering commitment to the principles of compassion, peace, and human dignity".
"He spoke out for the poor, the marginalised, and the oppressed. His solidarity with refugees, his calls for climate action, and his insistence on global peace and equality set him apart as a champion of justice in the modern world.
"On behalf of the Government and the people of Ireland, I offer my heartfelt sympathies and my deepest condolences to all who mourn him, to His Eminence Cardinal Battista Re, the Dean of the College of Cardinals, to his family and friends and to the Catholic community worldwide that has lost an exceptional leader."
Read more: Pope Francis led different papacy from outset
Mr Martin said Pope Francis holds a "special place in the hearts of the Irish people".
"During his visit to Ireland in August 2018 for the World Meeting of Families he was welcomed with a warmth and enthusiasm that spoke volumes about the respect and affection in which he was held by Irish people," he said.
"Many will also remember Pope Francis' expression of pain and shame about historic child abuse in the Catholic Church and his outrage about the failure of Church authorities to adequately address these appalling crimes."
Pope's influence 'transcended the Vatican'
Tánaiste Simon Harris said the Pope's influence "transcended the Vatican", adding that he offered "moral leadership during times of uncertainty".
In a statement, the Fine Gael leader said that his teachings on poverty, migration, and refugees "remain relevant as we confront global inequality and division".
Mr Harris said Pope Francis was a "remarkable figure who embodied compassion, humility, and service". "On behalf of the people of Ireland, I offer my condolences to His Eminence Cardinal Battista Re, Dean of the College of Cardinals, the entire Roman Catholic Church, and all those mourning his loss worldwide.
"Pope Francis bore his illness with great dignity and courage. As so many people in Ireland and as Christians across the world mourn his loss, we find strength in his message of hope, mercy, and compassion, which will continue to inspire us to build a better world for all."
Read more
Pope Francis in Ireland
'A moment of huge loss'
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Pope Francis was "never, ever afraid to speak truth to power", the leader of Sinn Féin has said.
Mary Lou McDonald said Francis was "all about progress".
His death, she said, is a moment of huge loss.
"The death of Pope Francis will also be mourned by those across the globe who respected him as a courageous spiritual leader, a man of strong conviction, who stood up for those most marginalised and vulnerable. He led by seeking to reach-out to others in the spirit of humanity.
"Pope Francis will also be remembered for standing up for peace and justice in the face of global tension, instability and militarism - including unjust and illegal wars in Palestine, and Ukraine. Even while he was in hospital, he maintained almost nightly phone calls to a parish in Gaza city and he was resolute in his solidarity with the people of Gaza."
Ms McDonald said the papal visit to Ireland in 2018 was an important occasion for both Ireland and the Church.
"The papal visit marked the redefined role between Church and State, and how today Ireland balances its rich faith with the realities of a modern, pluralistic society.
"We deeply value the leadership given by Pope Francis throughout his papacy, his vital voice for peace and warmly recognise his thoughtful and courageous contributions, even as he battled ill health, and until his sad passing."
She said Pope Francis "will be remembered as a good and decent man who led the Catholic Church with compassion and a genuine desire to bring the light of hope in an uncertain world".
'Legacy of faith'
The Methodist Church in Ireland said it was "grateful for Pope Francis's faith and for his leadership of the Roman Catholic Church".
In a statement, President of the Methodist Church Rev Dr John Alderdice, and the Church's Lay Leader, Mrs Elaine M Barnett said: "We give thanks and appreciation for his ecumenical spirit and openness to other leaders in the global Christian Church."
"We commend his advocacy for social justice, his desire to prioritise care for the poor and the most vulnerable in society as well as his call for all people to embrace their role as 'stewards of creation’."
They extended their "deepest sympathies and prayers of the Irish Methodist people to our brothers and sisters in the Roman Catholic community and to all those who mourn".
'Key influencer in the world'
The last public appearance of Pope Francis will remain an "extraordinarily iconic moment", the former President of Ireland Mary McAleese has said.
"He was so visibly dying and more importantly, so visibly knowing that he was dying, determined to use his very last breath to be the pastor that he was to everybody," she said.
Speaking on RTÉ's Six One News, Ms McAleese said the Pope’s final public appearance "was a formidable exhibition of witness to belief in the power of love and the power of the resurrection".
She described Pope Francis as a "key influencer in the world", adding that when he spoke, people listened.
Ms McAleese said: "They don’t always do what he asks, but they listen.
"His voice, speaking out to the world, was very strong.
"You could reduce everything he said out to the world to two things: the sacredness of the human person, every human person and the sacredness of the Earth.
"If we got those two things right, in the right relationship and honoured our responsibilities to both, in his view the world would be a better place.
"That’s his message".
Ms McAleese said Francis inherited the Catholic Church in a state of "existential crisis", adding this will continue following his death.
"He inherited, what I might call, an existential crisis in the church. It wasn’t of his making and he didn’t resolve it by the time he died," she said.
This, she said, is "still on the desk of whoever succeeds him".
"He tried, in a number of ways, to ameliorate it. I think the jury is still out on the level of success," she added.
'Stubborn and determined'
Former Archbishop of Dublin Diarmuid Martin said he was "very shocked" to hear of the death of Pope Francis, but from watching him yesterday on Easter Sunday, he was very weak but a very determined man.
He described him as a man of God, a free man but stubborn and determined, with a great sense of giving which was a huge thing for him throughout his life.
He said Pope Francis spoke words of peace which were not always smooth words and was unpredictable, giving an example of him working with trans prostitutes, but added that he led a simple life.
Recalling his visit to Sean McDermott Street in Dublin, where he stopped and talked to people, Archbishop Martin said the Pope was impressed and interested in the history of the street and the church there.
He said that during his visit, the Pope was well aware that Ireland had changed and that the church had had its difficulties, but he spent a huge amount of time listening, adding that the answers were to become less harsh and more merciful.
