Jerry Buttimer (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Before I call on Senator O'Loughlin, at the beginning of the Order of Business I neglected to congratulate the Filipino Government and the people on the 40th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Ireland and the Philippines, which were established in July 1984. During that time, our bilateral relationship has developed significantly, including enhanced political engagement, strengthened trade and economic links, as well as a deepening of the people to people links and a shared commitment to multilateralism and to a rule-based international order. The opening of our embassy in Manila in November 2021 has given us the opportunity to strengthen this relationship and enhance our diplomatic footprint in the region.

I acknowledge today, as we celebrate 40 years of that relationship, the large number of Filipino people who have made a significant contribution to Ireland and now call it home, contributing to our society and economy across a variety of sectors. I want to particularly thank our Filipino healthcare workers who supported our health system during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic and who have taken Irish people to their hearts in the way they administer care in our health system.My late father had the pleasure of travelling to the Philippines with the Cope Foundation to recruit nurses and other healthcare workers to come to Ireland. He always spoke highly of the Filipino people and their commitment to the patient, as opposed to the entity of the organisation. As we mark the 40th anniversary of our relationship, we look forward to the next chapter in our warm and flourishing friendship.