Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I compliment Ambassador Mulhall on his work. I have seen first-hand the work done by him and his wife over many years in various locations throughout the globe. He is a shining example of the type of people we most desperately needed during the past couple of years to promote our cause. He has done a tremendous job. I also compliment Mr. Mulhall for encouraging thinking to evolve with the passage of time. As said by Mr. Mulhall, it is hugely important for a country like ours that is dependant on trade for commercial purposes and shares its culture with the world that we evolve. The relationship between Ireland and the UK is a classic example in this regard.

I believe Mr. Mulhall is well placed. Those whose decision it was to place Mr. Mulhall in his current position are to be complimented on doing so. There has been a major evolution of the relationship between Ireland and the UK over recent years. This must continue. It must be remembered that we all have a right to commemorate events of the past. Some countries commemorate events that occurred further back, which is great. It is also worth remembering that European citizens have come together to acknowledge and honour the past while at the same time using the lessons learned from that past to the benefit of future generations. Mr. Mulhall is also doing this.

Mr. Mulhall spoke about Irish companies and said that in his role as ambassador he has dealt with many. I once saw a promotion of an Irish-owned multinational corporation, the like of which I have never seen before. It showed a progressive modern Irish company that started out in a shed at the bottom of a garden in north-eastern Leinster and grew to international proportions. The promotion was only 15 minutes long and was the greatest and most powerful image I have ever seen of a company and country. This is the type of work in which Mr. Mulhall and his colleagues in other embassies across the globe have been engaged on behalf of this country. We owe him and them for much of what has happened. We were in a very bad place only a few short years ago.