Seanad Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 13 Jun 2023

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.

I thank the Cathaoirleach. We may be two countries far away from each other but we cherish a lot of similarities. We are struggling for independence, peace and freedom. That is why our friendship and connection are so important, especially nowadays. After Russia's brutality, nothing is a given, not even the democracies we want to serve. Thank you so much for giving me this opportunity to address the House today.

Her Excellency, An Cathaoirleach, esteemed Senators and dear colleagues, I am deeply honoured to address Seanad Éireann today and I thank Her Excellency once again for this opportunity. This is part of my official visit to Ireland at the kind invitation of my counterpart, the Ceann Comhairle of Dáil Éireann, Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl, exactly a year since his official visit to Cyprus. I feel the need to point out that I found him not only a dear colleague but a true friend, who was among the first to welcome me as the President of the Parliament and encouraged me to take up my demanding duties with faith and confidence. For this genuine friendship and his precious advice, I am deeply grateful.

This exchange at the highest parliamentary level reflects, above anything else, the excellent relations between our countries and our people. At the same time, it has injected new impetus into interparliamentary dialogue and co-operation, which we cherish and intend to further strengthen at all levels - bilateral, European and multilateral. Indeed, the warm welcome and hospitality shown to me and collaborators in the House of Representatives accompanying me proves beyond any doubt that the people of Cyprus and Ireland share a unique bond. Despite our two island states being at opposite ends of the European Continent, several thousand kilometres apart from each other, our hearts and souls are in tune and there exists a deep connection and understanding between us. This should come as no surprise to anyone familiar with the recent turbulent history of each of our countries. Both have struggled with the painful experience of division and therefore have an additional reason to be strongly committed to upholding international law and the fundamental values and principles that underpin democratic, open and accountable societies.

Cyprus and Ireland, connected by their rich history, culture and traditions, are also strong advocates of European integration. As committed EU member states, they strive to build upon their respective national experiences and in parallel work side by side to safeguard the essential values of the European Union: respect for the rule of law, protection of human rights and respect for the principle of equality within and between member states, thus ensuring the voices of all member states are equally heard within the Union of the 27. In this framework, we aim to work hand in hand ahead of assuming successively the Presidency of the Council in 2026.

We have achieved remarkable co-operation between our two countries in a multitude of fields, namely, information and communication technologies, innovation, education, culture, tourism, the justice sector, business and commercial exchanges and the marine and maritime sectors. Ireland is a pioneer in the fields of innovation, investment in information and communication technologies, and Cyprus may take lessons in this regard. We can also work together, including at parliamentary level, for further co-ordination in the advancement of our roles as regional technology and science hubs and also based on the competitive advantages that both our countries have.

Cyprus and Ireland are both gateways into and out of the European Union in relation to the Middle East and the Atlantic, respectively, and are ideal bases for the establishment and development of multinational technological companies.

I am proud to say that parliamentary diplomacy has been instrumental in moving forward co-operation and exchanges between Cyprus and Ireland. Following the Ceann Comhairle's visit to Cyprus, along with Members of the Houses of the Oireachtas, there was increasing advancement of co-operation in the domains I mentioned. I am pleased to say that significant results have been achieved since then, also due to the diligent efforts of Cyprus's ambassador to Ireland, H.E. Charis Christodoulidou, and the Irish ambassador to the Republic of Cyprus, H.E. Conor Long, who deserve our praise and appreciation for their hard work and dedication.

As I highlighted, our two countries share a turbulent past of division stemming from colonial rule, civil strife and foreign interference. Despite the significant distinctions and different historical frameworks of each case, our peoples share a tragic past which has left its painful mark on our societies. Bearing this in mind, yesterday I paid a very interesting visit to the Glencree Centre for Peace and Reconciliation. I was impressed by the centre's outstanding work and, more particularly, by its women's programme which supports and empowers women who have experienced political conflict and-or violence to become active leaders in peace-making and peace-building. The Irish example is an aspiration for other women around the globe. In today's turbulent world, characterised by unprecedented uncertainty and instability, women have the insightfulness needed to deal with the multifaceted challenges that lie before us. As a young politician and the first female President of the House of Representatives, I place gender equality and the eradication of gender-based violence among my top priorities.

The competent authorities of Ireland and Cyprus have developed co-operation in the field of prevention and combating gender-based violence, which I am certain will be further developed. I acknowledge especially the pivotal role of Ireland during its Presidency of the Council of Europe in the prevention of domestic, sexual and gender-based violence and the development of a culture of respect for human rights. The Cyprus House of Representatives, for its part, has enacted important legislation for the criminalisation of sexism and stalking, as well as for combating violence against women in line with the Istanbul Convention. Through an amendment to the law ratifying the Istanbul Convention, femicide has been introduced as a crime per se. Moreover, very recently, we enacted significant legislation that criminalises illegal practices of so-called "conversion therapies" in order to allow all citizens to explore their sexuality, gender identity and gender expression freely without any intervention. Gender equality is essentially a matter of human rights, democracy and justice. I cannot stress enough the need for collective action to dismantle the centuries of old stereotypes. Achieving gender equality to be reflected in all spheres of life is key to building stronger, fairer, more inclusive and more resilient societies.

For 49 years now, the people of Cyprus have suffered gross violations of international law and human rights as a result of the Turkish invasion and continuing occupation of more than one third of the territory of the Republic of Cyprus. For too long, we have yearned for the reunification of our country, which will enable the people of Cyprus and all Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots alike to prosper together in conditions of lasting peace and stability that will showcase Cyprus as an example of peaceful coexistence for the region and beyond. Some 200,000 Cypriots - one third of the population of the island - became refugees in their own country and hundreds remain, to this day, unaccounted for, known as the missing persons of the 1974 Cyprus tragedy.

Several rounds of talks over all these years under the aegis of the UN Secretary General have failed because Turkey has been escalating its unlawful claims against us operating the sovereignty rights of the Republic of Cyprus. This has culminated in its insistence on a two-state solution that runs counter to pertinent UN Security Council resolutions. We will never accept such inadmissible claims; claims that the EU and the entire international community have explicitly rejected, as they would be tantamount to the legitimisation of the Turkish invasion and occupation.

Turkish claims have also been manifest through escalating provocations aimed at the creation of new faits accomplis on the ground, including in the fenced area of Famagusta, as well as the exclusive economic zone of Cyprus, of which Turkey claims 44%. At the same time, Turkey has proceeded to further militarise the occupied northern part of Cyprus and has tightened its grip on Turkish Cypriots, who are far outnumbered by Turkish settlers, aiming at Islamisation and ultimately the annexation of the occupied area. The instrumentalisation by Turkey of irregular migrants, whom she channels through the occupied area to the government-controlled area with the aim of changing the demographic character and destabilising the Republic of Cyprus, is also part of Turkey's hybrid war against my country.

The Greek Cypriot side will continue to exert every effort towards the resumption of the negotiations stopped in Crans-Montana, in line with the UN framework and with the EU playing a more active role in the negotiation process with the aim of reaching a just and viable settlement of the Cyprus problem in accordance with international and European law and, of course, the UN resolutions. A settlement on the basis of the bizonal, bicommunal federation that will unify the country in conditions of lasting peace and security will ensure respect for the human rights and fundamental freedoms of all Cypriots – Greek Cypriots, Turkish Cypriots, Maronites, Armenians and Latins – and will free Cyprus from occupation by troops and anachronistic guarantees. We need all the support we can get in this direction. We appeal to friendly countries especially and trust that EU partners like Ireland will exert their influence in order that Turkey will reverse its legal actions in Famagusta and return to the negotiation table, including for its own benefit and for the sake of peace and stability in our region. Cyprus is too small to be divided. Foreign occupying troops have no place in the civilised world, and there is no better guarantee for all Cypriots – Greek Cypriots, Turkish Cypriots, Maronites, Armenians and Latins – than to enjoy the rights and benefits of belonging to a greater European family.

I need to mention today that we are indeed very grateful to Ireland for its principled stance on and steadfast support for our just cause over the years. We are particularly grateful for and appreciative of Ireland's unfailing commitment to and strong advocacy for international legality, which must prevail in today's increasingly unstable world and which is the sole weapon of small states against the logic of "Might is right".

In the course of its recent two-year term as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council, Ireland worked tirelessly to uphold the principles and values of the UN Charter and, in this context, has been a vocal and outspoken supporter of our efforts to reunify our country. We are deeply grateful for Ireland's participation in the United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus, UNFICYP, since 1964, currently with Irish police officers serving in UNPOL. More than 10,000 Irish troops and police officers have served with UNFICYP over the years, acting as yet another bridge connecting our two countries.

We are also very grateful for Ireland's significant support for the Committee on Missing Persons in Cyprus, which attests to its sensitivity as regards human rights and humanitarian issues. Irish people have also had a painful experience in this regard.

At this point, I reaffirm Cyprus's full alignment with Ireland with regard to the Windsor Framework vis-à-vis the avoidance of a hard border between the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland following Brexit, with an imperative that the provisions of the EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement, as well as the Ireland-Northern Ireland protocol in the withdrawal agreement, as recently amended, be duly respected by all sides in order to forge a true relationship of equal partnership between the European Union and the UK.

Dear colleagues, guests and students, the ongoing war in Ukraine after the Russian invasion have dominated the global agenda. Cyprus, just like Ireland, has an additional reason to stand firm with principles and by the Ukrainian people defending their country and dignity, but also our European principles and democracy which are at stake, as propaganda justifying illegality is thriving. For the very same principle, Cyprus has fully aligned with EU sanctions, despite the inevitable cost on the economy and has kept its doors wide open for Ukrainian refugees, granting them benefits, despite being the EU member state with the largest number of asylum applicants per capita, mainly due to Turkish tactics. At the same time, we expect that same determination, which is rightfully expedited by the international community towards Ukraine, will also prevail for Cyprus. If we mean to work for peace, we must avoid double-standard policies.

Dear colleagues, students and Cathaoirleach, our two countries share a privileged relationship as partners within the EU family, where co-operation and mutual support are of the essence, as we try to navigate through particularly challenging times. In recent years, the European Union has had to address a multitude of complex challenges, namely, Brexit; the migration crisis; the Covid-19 pandemic; the climate emergency and the war in Ukraine. We are indeed at a historic crossroads with regard to developments in Europe and on a global scale. The very nature of the challenges we face shows us the way to proceed, which is no other than to uphold multilateralism and to tackle these global challenges in unity and solidarity. Only then can we hope for a brighter future, especially for our youth and generations to come.

Dear colleagues and friends, Cyprus and Ireland share challenging historical legacies but we are also united by our commitment to a better future. In the words of the Irish Nobel laureate, George Bernard Shaw, "We are made wise not by recollection of our past, but by the responsibility of our future." We thus have a responsibility towards our citizens to create the future our people desire, demand and deserve. Our success will depend on our ability to use the wisdom gained from past experiences and work together to shape a better future for all of us. I thank Members for their attention and the privilege of attending their Seanad.

I thank Ms Demetriou for her powerful address. Today is the 158th birthday of William Butler Yeats. Ms Demetriou stands here on the centenary of his winning the Nobel Prize for literature. The students to which she referred are from Leckaun National School in County Leitrim. The boys and girls are very welcome. They have just heard the address by Ms Demetriou, President of the House of Representatives, the Parliament, of Cyprus. In keeping with tradition, can I give the students a no-homework week as we head towards the end of the school term? It is important to recognise the importance of that.

Ms Demetriou is most welcome. It is a pleasure to meet her and to welcome her to Seanad Éireann to address our Chamber.

Her speech covered quite a lot of topics but it is clear that despite the distance between our two countries, we share many values, are on the same page on many things and are strong colleagues at European Union level. That is welcome.

I concur with her remarks when she lists the many challenges the European Union has faced and will face: the geopolitical situation, the war in Ukraine, migration, climate and the Covid pandemic. There is a lot happening, a lot has happened and there is more to come. It is important that all countries, including Cyprus and Ireland, protect our parliamentary democracies. When I hear Ms Demetriou's commitment to that, it is heartfelt and welcome. She is right when she points to what is happening in Ukraine. We can take nothing for granted. We can get comfortable in the situations we find ourselves in but democracy must be protected and it is important that we in public representative and leadership roles, like Ms Demetriou, espouse and fight for those values and make sure they are kept on the agenda.

I am happy to hear Ms Demetriou, in her role as Speaker of the Cypriot House of Representatives, focusing on gender equality, gender-based violence and the eradication of same. That is something we in Ireland and our Government are focused on. We have a new strategy on domestic and gender-based violence. We unfortunately saw, as I am sure Cyprus did, an increase in that during the worst of the pandemic. We as a country are committed to eradicating it and will do that through Government leadership. When like-minded countries work at an EU level, we can do much more together than apart.

I thank Ms Demetriou for taking the time to visit us. It is lovely to hear her remarks about the Ceann Comhairle. He is a party colleague of mine and it is clear he and Ms Demetriou are good friends. I wish her well for her meetings tomorrow and for the rest of her visit to Ireland. We hope to see her back in Ireland again.

I thank Ms Demetriou for joining us. It is fantastic for our Chamber to have her here in Ireland. As our Leader said, we have more links than we might think. We both have a history with the British empire and of having an island that is split and divided. We both have a history of trying to be peaceful and get on with everybody and we are nowadays, along with Malta, the only island states in the EU. I was recently in Brussels on behalf of the transport committee and people told me they could get trains everywhere, decarbonise and not use aviation. We had to remind them we are not all able to jump on a train and go anywhere in Europe. Cyprus and Malta are the same. We need to co-operate with each other and remind people there is no one-size-fits-all answer when dealing with decarbonisation of things like aviation and maritime. I know maritime is very important to Cyprus as well.

I also acknowledge the presence of the ambassador. She has been a fantastic ambassador for Cyprus and is one of the best-known and most liked ambassadors in diplomatic circles in Ireland and very well connected, always promoting the interests of Ireland-Cyprus and Cyprus itself. Cyprus as a country is lucky to have her in its diplomatic team and we are lucky to have her here.

Ms Demetriou touched on many things in her speech and I do not want to repeat the things our Leader said about gender-based violence, democracy, Ukraine, having a divided island, taking nothing for granted and peace. Having an island occupied by a hostile country is a challenge for all of us and for you guys. We all need to work together in the EU for peace and in many aspects. I look forward to perhaps other members of Ms Demetriou's Parliament joining us at some stage in Ireland and working together for the benefit of both countries.

Ms Demetriou, céad míle fáilte romhat. Literally, that means “a hundred thousand welcomes to you”. It emphasises the degree to which you are welcome and how happy we are to have you here.

As the Cathaoirleach did, I salute Ms Demetriou’s personal success, after a relatively short period in Parliament from 2016, in becoming the first woman to emerge as President of the House of Representatives of the Republic of Cyprus. It is a huge personal achievement. She is an important role model for women and makes an important statement about the need for gender equality and full participation of all our people in all our institutions.

I congratulate her on that.

I want to reference a few things in relation to her visit. First of all, we have so much in common. We have two distinct cultural traditions on each of our islands, with distinct populations, distinct ambitions and orientation towards other powers, etc. That gives us a commonality and a friendship. It is worthy that we would have dialogue in this area as to how we deal with our attempt to reconcile the people who see themselves as British on our island with the people who see themselves as Irish. There is now an increasing number who see themselves as both. We need to reconcile those traditions. Cyprus is also attempting reconciliation and there is a lot for both of us to ponder.

We have one other area of important commonality which has the potential for co-operation. That is that we are both small states within the EU. We small states need to be allies in the EU because we have a commonality of interest. We have to watch a race to integration by the larger states which could prejudice the welfare of the smaller states. We should align on that level and we should be conscious of the commonality of interest we have.

We also have a lot in common in terms of trade. Currently we need to increase that but we do have €30 million of trade. What we do have very much in common is the tourism product and I have had the privilege of a few beautiful family holidays in Cyprus. Many people have been to Cyprus and have very happy memories of those visits. Similarly, I hope that Cypriot people will come to Ireland. We have two very important tourism products. There are slight variations and we should be working on bilateral relations and co-operation on that, as with trade.

It is worthy of note that Ryanair is now going to Paphos. That involves a €400 million investment in Cyprus with 120 direct jobs and 1,500 related jobs. That is another area of potential co-operation

I am also happy that we are on the same page regarding the barbaric and illegal war in Ukraine. Ms Demetriou is very welcome and I would like that the areas of potential co-operation and friendship that we addressed could be worked on together. I hope the friendship between Cyprus and Ireland will go from strength to strength

I welcome Madam President to our Chamber and I am delighted to see the ambassador here as well. I had lots of things written down that I was going to say but previous speakers have stolen my words so I have to ad lib from here on. I went to Cyprus in 1972, long before most people in this room were born. I remember fondly swimming in January off the coast of Cyprus. What a wonderful place. Limassol, Larnaca and Paphos were all places I loved when I was there. I also loved the beautiful city of Famagusta, which is now in ruins, or at least deserted. This is what happens when people do illegal things and enter a place where they are not welcome.

Not unlike ourselves, Cyprus is in a post-conflict situation. One of the key things we need to remember is that in a post-conflict state, there is the issue of moral injury. This is where people carried out deeds that they ordinarily would not carry out in normal life. The victim of moral injury is not just the individual. It passes down through the family. Generally speaking, the ones who suffered most, certainly in Ireland and I am sure it is the same in Cyprus, were the wives of men who carried out various things. We are now finding that this moral injury passes through the generations. It goes from father and wife down through the family and indeed, in some cases, women who were involved in conflict. It passes right down through the children. Alcoholism, drug addiction and all of these things take place. I would ask Madam President to bring that thought to Cyprus and to look at how it might be affecting Greek Cypriots in particular.

We talked about co-operation between Ireland and Cyprus.

An old story is going around about some Cypriots who were working for the Irish Defence Forces when they went to Cyprus in 1964. One of our officers decided they did not have enough to do and taught them how to sow potatoes. The Cypriots did this so well they finished up selling them back to Ireland. Cyprus has a tremendous potato trade. If this story is true, then we want some sort of recompense for all the money Cyprus has made from this trade throughout the years.

It was a wonderful place and I genuinely have wanted to go back there ever since the ambassador was appointed here. I am disgusted to hear she is going away. She should stay. She is entitled to two more years because of the impact of Covid-19. From that perspective, I would like to see the ambassador stay here for another two years. She has done a great deal of work in promoting her country.

The peacekeeping issue and the UN Security Council were mentioned in Ms Demetriou's speech. It is no secret in this country that I am not a fan of the UN Security Council. I see it as a useless organisation dominated by several powerful countries that have a veto. I ask Ms Demetriou to bring back to her Parliament the perspective that when we talk about the UN Security Council here, we talk about its reform. I refer to doing away with the veto. We cannot have countries like Russia, the United States, the UK and France having a veto over decisions made by smaller countries.

My colleague Senator Joe O'Reilly spoke about our co-operation in the European Union. The exit of Britain from the Union, or Brexit as it is known, has caused major problems, and especially for small countries. It is going to become vitally important that we work together to understand each other's needs to allow us to maximise our membership of the European Union. Ms Demetriou's presence here again underpins this sort of relationship.

I am going to be unusual now and finish my contribution on time. Ms Demetriou is more than welcome. I thank her very much for visiting us. I do hope to see Cyprus again but, unfortunately, it will not be with that body-to-die-for that I had in 1972. I will go as a rather rotund and follicly challenged old man.

I welcome Ms Demetriou. It is great to see a woman in her post. I will not go any further on the gender thing, but if you cannot see it, you cannot be it. I am glad, therefore, that the females of Cyprus and beyond can see her, a woman, in this position. It is not only inspiring for women but also for men. This is also important. It is not only women who are inspired. We can inspire men as well when we take on roles that have traditionally been men's.

I wish to speak about climate action, climate change and biodiversity. I feel that as another island nation, we face similar challenges. I have looked up Cyprus and the predicted rise in sea levels that island will be facing and they are not dissimilar to ours. The projections for 2040 and 2050 forecast that many seaside towns in Cyprus, which are tourist destinations, will be faced with a serious threat in this regard, as are ours here. Temperatures are expected to increase by 1°C almost every five to ten years in Cyprus, the same as they are here. Turning to water scarcity, Cyprus is prone to droughts. Climate change will exacerbate those water scarcity issues. Rising sea levels, as I said, will of course pose a threat to our coastal communities and tourism.

I also see that Cyprus has done much good work in the renewable energy sector. Like us, though, it probably has much more to do in this area. We have had a bit of a revolution in solar energy generation here because we are going to put a solar panel on the roof of every school over the next three years. We have also removed the VAT rate on solar panels. We have done some good things in this area. We also have a good retrofitting programme but it is proving so popular that there is a backlog of applications.

Our two countries have much in common. Cyprus has a Green Party presence of some kind in its government as well. I think it is called the Green movement or something like that. Regardless, we all face the same challenges whether we have a Green Party presence in government or not. We did not invent climate change and we do not own the issue. This is, however, something we must take seriously as island nations. As Senator Horkan mentioned, there is a difference here in terms of the EU. This is not to mention the Seychelles and those countries that are smaller, poorer and less developed than ours. We do, though, face unique challenges. I do not talk as much about flights as the need to reinvest in things like providing sail-and-rail options. I could not find a single tourism operator in Ireland with which to book travel to a conference on behalf of the Government via a train-and-boat journey. Only flight bookings are catered for, which I thought was interesting. Perhaps there may be similar challenges in Cyprus. There are many ways to get around the place, however.

Flying everywhere is not always required. We had some success with a boat that goes to Bilbao that would only take cars and trucks but which will now also take pedestrians and cyclists. That only came in within the last two years. These seem like small things but, as we face a highly uncertain future, if we are to give our children and their children a hope of a good quality of life, they are things that Cyprus and Ireland will have to take very seriously. We hold lovely diplomatic events but I am deeply concerned at the change I have seen in this world over the 25 years I have been involved in climate activism and at the challenges facing our countries. It would be remiss of me not to use these four minutes to speak mainly on that matter and on the great issues that Cyprus will face.

I was talking to one of the best sommeliers, wine experts, in Ireland and he told me that French vine growers are now looking for north-facing slopes instead of south-facing slopes because it is just too hot to grow vines in France. Maybe people will take this seriously if they think their wine will be affected but it is a very serious issue. He is now saying that colder countries like Ireland and England will be the ones growing wine. There was a weird thing on the TV recently saying that the climate challenge could be to Ireland's benefit because tourism in mainland Europe is becoming so challenging owing to the heat. People in mainland Europe are dying like they never did before because of the rising temperatures, which will be of benefit to our country because we will have great tourism, although I would hate for that to be the reason people come to our country. I would like them to come because we have a beautiful country that is a really good place to visit, like Cyprus. I have never been there but my parents are always raving about how amazing it is.

I look forward to working with Cyprus. We have a lot in common with regard to the climate and biodiversity challenges. I look forward to working with Ms Demetriou and her colleagues on those issues.

I offer Madam President an especial welcome on behalf of my party, Sinn Féin. I very much welcome her very thoughtful speech, which hit a lot of key points. She spoke about values in particular. I have seen her country expound those values at first hand at the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe. Cyprus has an excellent team out there. You see them really punch above their weight in standing up on important issues such as the one Ms Demetriou mentioned in her speech, the Istanbul Convention and issues of gender equality and gender-based violence. Those values in respect of human rights, democracy and the rule of law are more important now than ever because they are very much under threat. We see that threat in our closest neighbour and, frankly, in Cyprus's closest neighbour as well. It is important that we speak out about these values. I send full solidarity to Ms Demetriou's country on the continued occupation of part of that country against the rules of international law. Her call for peaceful and constructive solutions to enable her country to be united is one that we should all support fully and comprehensively, as we certainly do.

I also recognise Ms Demetriou's very strong attachment to equality. It was very important to hear her speak about gender-based violence. As others have mentioned, it is an issue that has really raised its head in recent years but it has been with us for decades. Again, it is an issue that we must all work harder on. On equality here in terms of parliamentary representation, a commitment to gender quotas is particularly important. Ms Demetriou will note that Ireland has never had a female Taoiseach or a female Minister for Finance but we are hoping to change that in the coming years. We have made some improvements but we have more to do.

I congratulate Ms Demetriou. She has pointed out so much that we have in common. Again, the fact that we are small states in the European Union means that we need to collaborate. I believe Ms Demetriou has given us a very clear message of solidarity, co-operation and collaboration. Those are values we can all agree on. It is clear that we have a very good relationship. I salute Cyprus's ambassador and the team on the work they are doing. I believe our relationship can only go from strength to strength in the coming years. Again, I extend to Ms Demetriou a very warm welcome and wish her continued success during her stay in Ireland.

On behalf of the Civil Engagement Group, I welcome Madam President to Seanad Éireann and to Ireland. Her presence here demonstrates part of a growing spirit of multilateralism between parliamentarians across Europe. While national governments may work closely together, I believe it is of fundamental importance that we, the representatives of the people across Europe, work together in that multilateral spirit to build a Europe that is socially open, environmentally sustainable and peaceful.

Madam President, while the distance between our islands is large, we share similar histories. Both our islands have suffered from conflict and are still dealing with the legacies of those conflicts today. We are two European Union members which are militarily neutral and work multilaterally to pursue peace and human rights across the globe. Cyprus, like Ireland, prioritises sustainable development and poverty eradication in its overseas development assistance. Finally, both our islands are immensely proud of their rich cultural heritage and value the collective memory which it represents to our people.

At a time when conflict is escalating around the world and when large powers are vying for power and influence, our two small islands, both of which have peace processes which are still works in progress, have a role to play by standing up for international law, multilateralism, human rights and peace. In her role as both the first woman and the youngest speaker, Ms Demetriou has demonstrated the contribution that the young women of Europe have to make to public life. We must work collectively across our shared Union to strive not only for gender equality in public life but also for generational equality.

I know Ms Demetriou is committed to protecting the environment. One interesting aspect of this which I might touch on is the role of cultural heritage in climate action. Cyprus lost a great deal of its incredible historic and archaeological heritage during the conflict. I know its government has undertaken a large body of work to recover damaged and stolen artifacts. It is imperative that we, as parliamentarians, support Ms Demetriou in that work. Cyprus, as the crossroads of the world from antiquity to the present day, produced works which are not only invaluable to our shared European heritage but to our collective human memory. This is not only important from a heritage viewpoint but from an environmental one too. In its European cultural heritage green paper, the International Council on Monuments and Sites and Europa Nostra states: “Leveraging the potential of craft, creative industries and cultural heritage can support just outcomes and help deliver both a green transition and strengthened social inclusion.” Preserving our cultural heritage and environment are mutually reinforcing processes that provide the opportunity to build a more caring and co-operative society.

I look forward to working together, Madam Speaker, for a social, sustainable and peaceful Europe. I thank her for coming today. I have been to Cyprus. I absolutely loved it. I know for sure that the Cypriot people love Irish people. I hope to be back very soon.

I thank Senators for their kind words. I am really honoured to receive all these nice comments today. Most importantly, I have the opportunity to address Senators and a country which cherishes the same norms and principles as us. For me, the decade and season we are living in is a fragile time. The most important thing and the only answer is to be compliant with our norms and principles. I know we have many challenges in front of us. The only answer is to protect our democracy. I totally agree that nothing is taken for granted, not even the democracy or parliaments we want to serve. We have to be really careful about the messages we want to pass to society and the people.

My concern is that gender equality should not be in a second category on the agenda. We need to place it in the same position with the other issues because we have managed progress but we still have a long road to follow. That is why we need to be careful about insisting on those topics. They are really important for us too. We need solidarity between us. We are two islands inside the European Union. We should avoid double standards in policy. We need to truly work together, and not just us on our small islands, but all member states in the European Union, because at the end of the day, nothing is forgiven, not even the European Union if we are not able to protect it.

Now, we are talking about a different political era and a very difficult stage that we need to overcome in order to proceed to the future we want to safeguard, including our norms, principles and the pathway we want to follow.

One thousand thanks for your support and everything you have offered to us and especially the opportunity to be here today and to have these important meetings. We can invest in many sectors: tourism, education, agriculture and technology. There are so many things we can accomplish. That is why I am so happy we have a follow-up after the visit of the Ceann Comhairle to Cyprus. We have managed to make a lot of progress in a lot of sectors. Yes, the answer is to work together.

I am glad the Senator referred to moral injury and refugees. We know because some people are still alive and still some refugees are waiting to return. We still have missing persons, and yes, it is passed down through the generations. The only answer is peace and reunification and reconciliation, nothing else. We cannot be apart from or on the opposite side of the resolutions of the United Nations. Nothing is accomplished by such perspectives. I know that sometimes fear is more easily spread but hope is really important and necessary. This is our job and our responsibility, to give people hope and a positive message. We need to give them the right answers even though they sometimes do not want to hear them. Yes, they will acknowledge that after a couple of years, so I believe in diplomacy. I will always be a romantic, pragmatic, idealist in this very difficult world. Yes, we need to do more about the climate crisis and we need to understand that the bell has already been rung and we are already running late in all the things and all the policies we were supposed to accomplish. At least now we need to foresee and see how we push things forward.

I will conclude with the necessity to understand that today, more than ever, our values and norms are so important. They are the things we invest all these years in not being involved with cruelty such as invasions and occupations and so on. I am really disappointed because I taught my students that I belonged to a generation that never experienced war. Unfortunately, now that is not the case because Europe is suffering from an ongoing invasion and occupation. It is the same for my country where after 49 years we are still urging for peace to prevail. That is why we are so grateful for Ireland's support. We are grateful that we have it and we will succeed and upgrade our relations in so many other sectors. Thank you once more for your support and your solidarity. Bear in mind, that always over the centuries, evil and bad have fought the good but we know who is going to win in the end. Thank you so much for this opportunity and thank you for being here today.

I wish to thank Madam Speaker for coming to Seanad Éireann today. I thank her and the people of Cyprus for their support for Ireland during the Brexit negotiations and for their solidarity during those difficult years to make sure that there was no return to a hard border on the island of Ireland. A country that is familiar with a hard border certainly does not want to see one return to another island nation.

I join with Madam Speaker in paying tribute to our Defence Forces and the members of an Garda Síochána who have served with the United Nations in peacekeeping duties in Cyprus. I also join with Madam Speaker in our support for the United Nations ongoing efforts on the reunification process in Cyprus. We know that in 2004 the Annan Plan was a referendum that was put to the people. It did not pass on that occasion. One of our writers once said "Try again. Fail again. Fail better" but next time we will succeed I am sure, in securing reunification, working with our United Nations colleagues.

Ireland and Cyprus have an unfortunate distinction in that there are approximately 50 island nations in the world, of which we are the only partitioned islands. We went through the same issues: invasion, war of independence, civil war and partition. We share that tragic past as Madam Speaker has said, but together we will have a brighter future. What we do in the next decade with your leadership and the leadership in this country will decide the next century for the people on both our islands. We need to be careful with all the moves we make to ensure that the failures of the past are not repeated. Madam Speaker quoted George Bernard Shaw: "We are made wise not by the recollection of our past but by the responsibility for our future". I am sure you are echoing the words of someone who spoke in this Parliament 50 years ago. This was another president who also quoted George Bernard Shaw. He said, "Some men see things as they are and ask why, I dream things that never were and say why not." Madam Speaker is one of those people who dreams of things and says "why not?" I thank Madam Speaker for addressing us today.