Mark Daly (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Before I ask the Leader to outline the proposed Order of Business, I welcome to the Distinguished Visitors Gallery the ambassador of Spain. We are delighted he is here in advance of Spain's national day and we are honoured he has come here to celebrate that day in the Seanad. Ireland and Spain have a long history. Indeed, my county, Kerry, celebrates the Treaty of Dingle of 1529. I know that the ambassador visited the town recently. Of course, there was also the Flight of the Earls, who ended up throughout Spain and wider Europe and whose beginnings led to the continued support from Spain for Ireland through to the present day. Spain’s support for Ireland during Brexit helped make sure there was no return to a hard border on the island of Ireland, a cause that was supported overwhelmingly throughout the European Union and, indeed, the United States of America.

About 40,000 Irish people go to the sunshine in Spain every year as permanent residents but more than 2.3 million Irish people go there for their holidays, while more than 20,000 people from Spain live in Ireland and work in our service industries as well as in the tech and pharmaceutical industries and our hospitals. Spain is the fifth largest market for Irish visitors and the connection goes back even to the Spanish Prime Minister, who came here as a student. We have welcomed many former Prime Ministers as well who have been here and continue to celebrate the long and enduring links between Ireland and Spain. I thank the ambassador for being here in advance of his country's national day. We look forward to celebrating that with him.