Statement by Cathaoirleach of Seanad Éireann Senator Mark Daly in Seanad Éireann to mark national day of Spain

Speaking in the Seanad, the Cathaoirleach said: “Spain and Ireland share a common past and a centuries-long friendship that can be traced back to the XVIth (16th) century when the Treaty of Dingle was signed in 1529.

Throughout our shared history, there has been a constant flow of Irish people to Spain, from medieval pilgrims on the Camino de Santiago, through to the many Irish who found refuge in Spain in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries at the time of The Flight of the Earls.

The many Irish Colleges founded during that period helped not only to preserve a distinct cultural identity but also to facilitate Ireland's engagement with the wider world.”

The Cathaoirleach went on to say: “There is an increasing number of Irish citizens resident in Spain, estimated at over 40,000.

As many as 2.3 million Irish visits Spain every year and more than 20,000 Spaniards currently live in Ireland.

Spain is the fifth-largest market in Ireland in terms of visitor numbers. For decades, Spain has been Ireland’s second-largest EU market for English language training (ELT).
This connection has seen many prominent figures in Spanish public life, including Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, spending time in Ireland during his adolescence.

I would like to wish Ambassador Ildefonso Castro and all Spanish people a Happy National Day,  Feliz 12 de octubre!”