Mark Daly (Fianna Fail)
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Before I call on the Leader to outline the Order of Business, I welcome to the Distinguished Visitors Gallery the deputy head of mission from the French Embassy to Ireland. Today is Bastille Day, marking France's national day, which commemorates the storming of the Bastille, which defined the French Revolution. It is also the celebration of French unity in 1790. The French Revolution gave truth to the ideas of liberté, égalité and fraternité, which resonated in Ireland at the same time, with the rebellion here in 1798. In the room adjoining this Seanad Chamber is the portrait of Theobald Wolfe Tone in the French colours. Of course, the French national flag was the inspiration for, and the origin of, the Irish flag, which was presented to Thomas Francis Meagher in March 1848.He returned to Ireland to fly a tricolour flag for the first time on 7 March of the same year.

The links between us go back centuries but we also are glancing forward on this day as we recognise that Ireland and France have links on economic as well as strategic fronts. France is our fifth largest trading partner and France is Ireland's fourth largest source for tourist destinations. We have agencies such as the IDA, Enterprise Ireland and Fáilte Ireland working hard through our embassy in Paris, and there are 30,000 French people employed by Irish companies across the Republic. There are approximately 12,000 French people living here in Ireland, no doubt getting ready to celebrate their day of national unity in the sense of the 1790s, but also the storming of the Bastille. France is obviously now our nearest EU neighbour, and there are 200 flights and 40 maritime connections on a daily basis between Ireland and France. We look forward to more of its people coming to Ireland, given the fact that our weather is slightly better than the weather over there at the moment. Educational links between Ireland and France go back to the 20th century. and the historic Irish College in Paris were places of learning when those opportunities were not available here in Ireland. We have won a few awards at the Cannes Film Festival, not least for "The Wind That Shakes the Barley", with which I am very familiar and which was filmed in our part of the world.

Rónán Mullen (Independent)
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Which everybody the Cathaoirleach canvassed with got familiar with.

Mark Daly (Fianna Fail)
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A few people got a copy of "The Wind That Shakes the Barley", back in the day when DVDs were DVDs.

I thank the deputy head of mission for being here on this very busy day as France celebrates its national day, and wish France all the best in the World Cup this afternoon.

Chris Andrews (Sinn Fein)
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The Cathaoirleach is not neutral on that, is he?

Mark Daly (Fianna Fail)
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Not particularly. When it is your national day, I think you deserve support.

I thank the deputy head of mission for being here today on his national day.