Jerry Buttimer (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Members, distinguished visitors, ladies and gentlemen, those watching at home and online, it is my great pleasure to welcome Ms Annita Demetriou, President of the Cypriot House of Representatives to Seanad Éireann. Céad míle fáilte, you are very welcome.

I also welcome the ambassador, H.E. Ms Charis Christodoulidou. I thank you for the very strong hand of friendship you have extended to Ireland since your appointment and for the great work you have been doing here.

Tá ríméad orainn fáilte a chur roimh Annita Demetriou chuig an Teach agus is onóir dúinn go mbeidh tú ag tabhairt aitheasc inniu. We are delighted to receive Ms Demetriou to this House today. We are honoured that you will be addressing us. We thank you for your visit and for your engagement with Members of the Oireachtas this afternoon. I am aware that you have just come back from Áras an Uachtaráin and tomorrow, you will meet the Taoiseach, Deputy Leo Varadkar.

Ms Demetriou has had what can only be described as a remarkable political career to date. She was first elected to Parliament in 2016 and five years later, she became the first woman and youngest person to serve as Speaker of the Cypriot Parliament, an extraordinary achievement on which we salute and congratulate her. Earlier this year she was elected as leader of the Democratic Rally Party. Her parliamentary work includes the promotion of human rights, the eradication of gender stereotypes, the protection of the environment and the strengthening of parliamentary democracy. On the basis of her conversations with me in Prague recently and again today, I can assure Members of this House that Ms Demetriou is very strong on all of the items I have mentioned but particularly on the primacy of Parliament and of equality and human rights.

We thank you for joining us today. The programme of your visit to Ireland is very extensive. You already have had the pleasure of visiting Kildare. You are very welcome to this House today and I would like to extend an invitation to the real capital, Cork, on your next visit, where you will be more than welcome.

Our guest speaker today does not just affirm the importance of bilateral relations but also reaffirms our joint commitment to the primacy of Parliament. Cyprus and Ireland have long been firm friends. As a nation, Ireland was particularly proud to welcome Cyprus into the European Union in 2004 during our Presidency of the EU. On that historic day of welcomes, Cyprus broadened and enhanced the European Union. Today, I say again, céad míle fáilte and 100,000 welcomes to Seanad Éireann.

We may be two very small countries situated 3,500 km apart on the opposite sides of Europe but there is no doubt that we have much in common. Cyprus and Ireland share a back story. We have both gone through struggles for independence and from those difficult periods in history, two strong and resilient democracies have emerged. We are more aware than most of the value of democracy. Like Cyprus, Ireland has also faced the challenges that go with a divided country and a divided people. We are keenly aware of the complexities of the circumstances in Cyprus. We understand the importance, and support the mandate, of the United Nations peacekeeping force in Cyprus. Our commitment to Cyprus dates back almost 60 years ago, to 1964, when Ireland first offered military personnel to the UN peacekeeping force. Since then more than 10,000 Irish military and civilian personnel have served in Cyprus. I thank all of them, along with the 12 members of An Garda Síochána currently serving in UNPOL. It is a source of great pride that our small country can support your small country. Senator Craughwell has been a strong supporter of members of the Army serving with the United Nations.

It is undoubtedly true that our shared commitment to the European Union stands firm. The common principles and values underpinning that Union have brought our two countries even closer. Membership of the European Union has allowed small nations like ours to thrive. It has given us an important voice on issues that affect us in an increasingly globalised world. Our unity and collective actions have helped us all through the worst of times, most notably during the Covid-19 pandemic and now, in the midst of an illegal war in Ukraine. We are partners in Europe but more importantly, we are friends.

I note that the Speaker of the Cypriot House of Representatives is accompanied today by members of her team and officials. I welcome you and thank you for being here as part of this delegation to Ireland. Your presence reaffirms our bond of friendship. Finally, I would say to our ambassador, who has really impressed in her role, that she has done a huge amount of work to promote and further strengthen the political, economic, cultural and trade relations between our two countries. I know her term in this country is coming to an end and that is why today, I thank her most sincerely and officially as Cathaoirleach of Seanad Éireann and wish her well in her next posting. Go n-éirí leat.

It now gives me great pleasure to ask Madam Speaker to address the House.