Before I call the Acting Leader to outline the Order of Business, I welcome to the Gallery Daniel Beauquis from De La Salle College in Dundalk. He is here on work experience with Senator Keogan. Councillor Gráinne Maguire is here as well. Her formidable mother, May McKeon, is not here today but she was a councillor for many years and is still very active in the community. Daniel is most welcome. I thank him very much for coming to Seanad Éireann today.

I also welcome, on this independence day in the Czech Republic, the chargé d'affaires at the Embassy of the Czech Republic, Mr. Filip Vurm, and Mr. Eoin Brennan, economics officer of the embassy. They are most welcome. The Czech Republic, like Ireland, used to be part of a much larger empire. It was not until after the First World War that Ireland and the Czech Republic secured independence. It has been pointed out by our President that Ireland was the only country on the side of the winning powers in the First World War to gain any level of independence after the war. So much for the freedom of small nations.

A Czech consulate was established here in 1929 by the then Czechoslovakian Government. The communist coup of 1948 interrupted diplomatic relations but the Velvet Revolution of 1989 meant that diplomatic relations were restored between our two democratic countries and in 1995, the Irish Embassy in Prague was established. We have a shared distinction with the United States of America in that we are the only two countries with a bronze statue of the eminent leader and first President of the Czech Republic after the Velvet Revolution, Mr. Václav Havel.

We are very fond of poets in this country. We are also very fond of revolutionary leaders and people-----

Did we have a revolutionary poet?

I have not read the Senator's poetry-----

Not a revolutionary puppet.

I have not read Senator Mullen's poetry but I know he is most certainly a revolutionary in every sense of the word.

He is referring to himself in this case.

I am quite aware he was not referring to himself. On this Czech national day, we wish our friends in the Czech Republic the warmest of congratulations. We know how hard it is to struggle not only to achieve independence but also to maintain it. The Czech Republic and Ireland share a bond in the European Union and we celebrate with the Czech people their independence day. I thank our guests for being with us today.