REMARKS BY PRESIDENT MCALEESE AT A LUNCHEON HOSTED BY PRESIDENT OF CATALUNYA, ARTURO MAS, BARCELONA
REMARKS BY PRESIDENT MCALEESE AT A LUNCHEON HOSTED BY PRESIDENT OF CATALUNYA, ARTURO MAS, BARCELONA WEDNESDAY. 23RD MARCH 2011
President Mas, Mayor,
It is indeed an honour for me to visit Catalunya and to attend this luncheon in such an historic and beautiful setting as the Palau de la Generalitat. On behalf of my husband Martin and my accompanying delegation, I thank you most sincerely for the warmth of your welcome and for your generosity and hospitality today. I am particularly honoured as I understand that I am the first Head of State to visit since your appointment. May I therefore take this opportunity to offer you my congratulations on your recent election as President of the Generalitat.
Catalunya occupies a special place in Irish minds. There is a respectful consciousness of your very distinctive history, of your deep love of your own culture and language and of the splendid contribution to the arts from Catalunya – the land of Miró, Gaudí, Dali and Tapies, and of course Picasso. Colm Tóibín, one of Ireland’s most distinguished contemporary writers spent a number of years here. His book ‘Homage to Barcelona’ provided for many Irish people an interesting perspective of the city and the changes which took place in the 1970s.
In both Catalunya and Ireland our sense of identity is intrinsically linked to our language. Many indeed see our languages as forming an essential basis of our distinctive cultures - the well from which we draw our sustenance for mind and soul.
There is an acute awareness in Ireland that you have been, and indeed remain, central to the shaping of European and particularly Mediterranean civilisation. It is surely no accident that the city gave its name to the process which has evolved into the Union for the Mediterranean.
Catalunya has every reason to be proud of its history but also of its modern achievements, including its world-famous urban planning and architecture. Already I have seen how the dynamism of Catalan art and culture is reflected in the very fabric of the city.
In the vibrancy of this great city, I sense a justified pride in Catalunya’s long tradition of industry and commerce. It is this spirit of enterprise and initiative that will ensure that we rise to meet the challenges of the current financial and economic crisis which threatens the living standards of our peoples in an unprecedented manner. This is a crisis which can only be tackled through solidarity and through an effective response at European level to the distortions and imbalances which have been created, particularly in the financial sector. Important decisions will be taken in this respect later this week by the European Council. In doing so, when reaching common goals, we are conscious also of the need to respect the specificities of the capacity of each Member State of the European Union to return to sustainable levels of economic growth.
Despite the severity of the financial and budgetary crisis which faces Ireland, many of the positive elements which sustained Irish economic growth remain in place. With a rapid improvement in our competiveness, Irish exports, which are equivalent to over 100% of our GDP, are providing the basis for future growth. We are determined to build our share of world exports and to work actively with Barcelona-based multinational companies, a number of which have become world leaders in sectors such as telecommunications, financial services, infrastructure and renewable energy.
I have been pleased to be accompanied on this visit by the CEOs of the Irish State Agencies responsible for trade promotion, investment, tourism and food. There is a vibrant Spanish-Irish Business Network which is working to bring our business communities closer together and I look forward to further strengthening the many economic and business links between Ireland and Barcelona. These links are greatly fostered by the energy and enthusiasm of our long serving Honorary Consul General in Barcelona, Enrique Cucurella.
This morning we jointly addressed here in the Generalitat building a conference aimed at enhancing our business links, specifically in the pharmaceutical field. Representatives of Irish companies travelled to Barcelona to meet with Spanish buyers of pharmaceutical products, technologies and services. They outlined the Irish supply capability into the global pharmaceutical sector and Ireland’s strong scientific research structure which supports innovation and competitiveness. I am delighted that some of the participants in the conference are here with us at lunch.
We already enjoy important business linkages. I think of the infrastructure giant Abertis, which has been involved in some of the great improvements in Irish road infrastructure in recent years. I also mention CRH, the Irish construction company, and Smurfit which have had major investments in Catalunya for many years.
Mr President,
I am honoured by your invitation here today. To paraphrase Colm Tóibín whom I mentioned earlier, I am with this visit paying my own ‘homage to Barcelona’.
I ask you to raise your glass in a toast to Barcelona, to Catalunya and to strengthened ties between us.