If I could briefly interrupt Commencement matters for the pleasant duty and privilege of welcoming our friends from the Czech Republic, who join us in the Distinguished Visitors Gallery.
I believe all the Members of the House and, indeed, the Minister of State, will join me in welcoming you, the members of the permanent commission on administrative affairs of the office of the Chamber of Deputies of the Parliament of the Czech Republic, led by Mr. Stanislav Blaha and accompanied by the Czech ambassador, H.E. Mr. Petr Kynštetr. On behalf of all my colleagues in Seanad Éireann, I extend a warm welcome to you and wish you a very successful visit to Ireland.
On the occasion of the Czech national day, which is on Friday, I would like to share some remarks on behalf of the Cathaoirleach. An independent Czechoslovakia was declared on Wenceslas Square in Prague on 28 October 1918, just a year before the first sitting of Dáil Éireann, our first independent Parliament, in 1919. Following independence, Ireland and Czechoslovakia developed contacts at various levels, particularly at the League of Nations.
Similar to Ireland, the Czech Republic has gone through periods in its history of being without independence. Today, the Czech Republic is our partner within the European Union, where we hold shared values. It is particularly important to remember our European bond this year as the Czech Republic holds the Presidency of the Council of the European Union.
Closer relations followed the Velvet Revolution in 1989 and, in 1995, the Irish Embassy was established in Prague. President Václav Havel visited Ireland in 1996, during Ireland’s EU Presidency. Former President Mary Robinson said she agreed with EU enlargement and understood how important EU membership was for the Czech Republic, which joined the EU in 2004. Ireland and the Czech Republic continue to share common values and commitments, including membership of the EU - as I alluded to earlier - and of the United Nations.
In the front entrance of Dáil Éireann, a bronze bust of renowned playwright Václav Havel, the first President of the Czech Republic, was unveiled in mid-June 2015. This was a significant and symbolic moment for Czech-Irish relations. After the United States of America, Ireland became only the second country in the world where a national legislative assembly decided to permanently honour the legacy of former President Havel. The two countries have been mutually enriching each other in many areas.
The relationship is a long-standing one, as Irish Franciscans - colloquially called Hibernians - found refuge in Prague in 17th century. After the Second World War, Czech glass manufacturer Charles Karel Bacik, found refuge in Ireland and later co-founded Waterford Glass. His granddaughter, Deputy Ivana Bacik, is a renowned Irish politician and academic. She is a distinguished former Member of this House and is now a Member of the Lower House - the other part of the bicameral Parliament - as well as leader of the Irish Labour Party.
On this occasion, I wish the ambassador, H.E. Mr. Petr Kynštetr, and the over 8,000 Czechs living in Ireland a happy independence day. I again welcome the delegation to Ireland. It is wonderful to have them here.