Mark Daly (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank Lord McFall for being here. His knowledge and interest in Ireland is clear. His work in the Northern Ireland Office and his close support of those who played such a pivotal role in the peace process was vital at that time. One of those he worked very closely with was the late Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Mo Mowlam, who I am sure was a great friend of his. In 1998, he was the first minister from the United Kingdom to be on the scene of the Omagh bombing on that sad day just hours after it happened. He met family members of those killed or injured by that bombing in the days and weeks that followed and he said that event and those meetings made a real, lasting impression on him, and shaped him politically and personally. His visit is an important opportunity to renew and reinforce his ties to Ireland.

I express my appreciation to Lord McFall for affording me the opportunity to visit the House of Lords in October 2021 and the role he played in welcoming my colleague, the Ceann Comhairle, Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl, to the Palace of Westminster this summer. Regular, constructive and collaborative connections between the Oireachtas and the Parliament of the United Kingdom are vitally important. In a period when our two Governments have taken quite different positions on policy, keeping political channels of engagement open is key. The Seanad has developed a great appreciation for the role of the House of Lords and the role it plays in bringing balance to legislation and public debate in the United Kingdom. In this new post-Brexit era, I believe bilateral relations between Ireland and the United Kingdom will continue to be of unique and fundamental importance.

We share joint stewardship of the Good Friday Agreement. While some have not always lived up to the ideals embodied in that agreement and the commitments given, we must work together. It is the only true pathway forward. Our economic relationships remain extensive and profound, benefiting both sides, and include huge flows of goods, services and people in both directions at all times. Our expanding embassy presence in London, our newly launched consulates in Cardiff and Manchester, and our new bilateral frameworks with Lord McFall's home of Scotland have been significant steps in recent years.

The UK ambassador to Ireland, H.E. Paul Johnston, was present when the Seanad marked the recent passing of Queen Elizabeth II. Following her passing, we reflected deeply in this country on her legacy and her contribution to British-Irish relations and the peace process. Queen Elizabeth's visit to Ireland in 2011, and especially her use of the Irish language, were watershed moments in the relationship between our two islands. Building on those firm foundations of the Good Friday Agreement, Queen Elizabeth helped to usher in a new era of mutual respect, close partnership and sincere friendship between Ireland and Britain.

Across the European Continent, and in British-Irish relations, we are best when we work together as partners. I hope that in the years to come efforts to develop Ireland-UK bilateral relations to their fullest extent will succeed. I thank the Lord Speaker for joining us.