An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business
Seanad Éireann — 2026-06-10
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Mark Daly (CC), Administrative Panel

I welcome to our Distinguished Visitors Gallery the ambassador from Portugal on Portugal Day, which celebrates its great poet, Camões, whose death occurred on this day in 1580. He famously wrote the epic poem, The Lusiads , which celebrates Portuguese history, culture and identity, and is a symbol of Portugal's great nation. This day not only celebrates Portugal's culture, but also unites Portuguese people around the world. Nearly one third of Portuguese people live outside of Portugal. That is why Ireland and Portugal share such a unique history, having so many people scattered to the four corners of the world. We also established diplomatic relations at a challenging time in the world, 1942, when we had a chargé d'affaires in Lisbon and then a full embassy in 1975 after we joined the European Union.
Our relationships, however, go a lot further back. We believed in a zero-tariff area in the 15th century. There were close trade connections between my home county of Kerry and Portugal. I do not think anyone believed in paying tariffs back then. It took a few centuries to formalise that under the European Union. The connection included selling of silverware, wine, textiles, port, ceramics and leather goods from Portugal to Ireland, and of fish, beef, wool and timber to Portugal from the west coast of Ireland.
We wish the ambassador and all the Portuguese community in Ireland, about 15,000, a happy national day. I will do my very best Portuguese: Feliz día nacional , which is, I think, something around "Happy Portuguese national day". I wish Ambassador João Pedro de Vasconcelos Fins do Lago, his embassy and all the people from Portugal in Ireland a happy national day. I thank the ambassador for being here.

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/seanad/2026-06-10/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-08-14T04:55:02+00:00
Sitting date: 2026-06-10