Before I ask the Leader of the House to outline the Order of Business, I welcome the ambassador of Estonia to the Distinguished Visitors Gallery. Tomorrow is Estonia's national day and the ambassador is most welcome to Seanad Éireann. We are delighted to mark Estonia's national day, just as many countries around the world mark Ireland's national day. A year before Ireland declared independence, Estonia took a step on its long journey towards long-sought independence. As two small countries that sought independence from larger neighbours, we share a common bond. We also share the common bond of being members of the European Union. Many people will not be aware that the Estonian language is one of the examination subjects in the leaving certificate examination. Approximately 2,500 Estonians live in Ireland. The love of language is one of the things Irish and Estonian people share. Statues of Oscar Wilde and the Estonian poet Eduard Vilde, both icons of literature, stand side by side in Galway city and also in the university city of Tartu. Our former President, Mary McAleese, said:
... Estonia is a country with a rich cultural heritage and a huge appreciation of cultural values. Like us, you cherish your musical and your culture - a fact that I believe sustained both our countries in our sense of community and identity during more troubled times.
As we share a common love of language, we welcome the ambassador to the House to mark Estonia's national day. I thank her for being here with us.
Also in the Distinguished Visitors Gallery is a former Member of this House who has decided to take up another role in the European Court of Justice. I welcome former Senator Judge Eugene Regan. We are delighted he has brought his colleagues from Greece, Lithuania and Hungary, Justices Gratsias, Jarukaitis and Csehi. I thank them to being here. Judge Regan is accompanied by his wife Janne. I thank her for lending him to us for some time when he was a Senator. We were talking to Judge Regan's friend and colleague Senator Mullen outside and he asked if I intended recalling the highlights of his contribution to the Seanad. I said we simply did not have the time and there were not enough hours in the day for us to be able to do that. I thank him for bringing his colleagues to Seanad Éireann. We all share a common bond within the European Union and we are delighted our visitors were able to come to Seanad Éireann today.
Finally, I thank the pupils of St. Tiernan's Community School in Dundrum for visiting Seanad Éireann today. One of the rules of Seanad Éireann, and the justices will be able to bring this to a higher court in Europe if it is ever appealed, is that after a visit to the House, school pupils have no homework for the rest of the week. We always advise people who are going to do a school tour to come on a Tuesday so they get the whole week's value from it. At least the students here today will not have any schoolwork today and tomorrow. Perhaps the European Court of Justice could take that up.
