Her Excellency Ms Annita Demetriou made an address to the Seanad having been welcomed to Leinster House by the Ceann Comhairle and the Cathaoirleach, and the visit comes a year after the Ceann Comhairle had been welcomed to Cyprus on an official visit.
Ms Demetriou was first elected to the Cypriot Parliament in 2016 and elected as the youngest ever Speaker and the first ever female Speaker in Cyprus in 2021. As noted by the Cathaoirleach, she is a vocal supporter of women’s rights and equality, a promotor of human rights, as well as the protection of the environment and the strengthening of parliamentary diplomacy.
Introducing Ms Demetriou before her address, the Cathaoirleach stated:
Cyprus and Ireland have long been firm friends. As a nation, Ireland was particularly proud to welcome Cyprus into the European Union in 2004 during our Presidency of the EU. On that historic day of welcomes, Cyprus broadened and enhanced the European Union. Today, I say again, céad míle fáilte and 100,000 welcomes to Seanad Éireann.
In her address, Ms Demetriou referenced the important relationship between Ireland and Cyprus, saying:
This exchange at the highest parliamentary level reflects, above anything else, the excellent relations between our countries and our people. At the same time, it has injected new impetus into interparliamentary dialogue and co-operation, which we cherish and intend to further strengthen at all levels - bilateral, European and multilateral.