Alberto Rubio
Ambassador Frank Smyth announced that in 2025 the first Irish Consulate General will open in Spain, specifically in Malaga, coinciding with the plan recently announced by the Dublin Government to open new embassies in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Moldova and Serbia.
Smyth, during his reception, described Spain as “a vital partner for Ireland in the European Union” and highlighted the “exceptional” relationship between the two countries in terms of trade and business, as well as the many tourists from both countries who travel in both directions each year.
The Speaker of the Irish Lower House of Parliament, Sean Ó Fearghaíl, for his part, said that he had never been to Spain before but assured that he would “return in the future” and highlighted the “historic association that we have with both countries, since the days of the Armada”.
Sean Ó Fearghaíl later referred to the fact that both countries are “very close allies in the EU and we have the same position” in relation to Ukraine and Gaza.
With regard to the war against Ukraine, the President of the Irish House referred to the words of Pope Francis, who recently called on the Kyiv government to seek peace with Russia, and said that “we must be very careful about raising the white flag in Ukraine in these circumstances”. Ó Fearghaíl therefore called for “telling the monster that is Putin to stop his attacks on the sovereignty of the Ukrainian people”.
As for “the shameful tragedy that is also happening in Gaza”, the Irish politician said that “my heart bleeds for the people and children of Palestine and for the Israelis killed by Hamas” but, while acknowledging that Israel has the right to defend itself, he said that “no democratic state has the right to break international law to massacre innocents”.
