Media Library

Speeches

Remarks on the Occasion of the Dinner Hosted by H.E. the President of Chile, Mr Sebastián Piñera

Santiago, 4th October 2012

Mr President, Distinguished Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen.

I am truly delighted to be here at the kind invitation of the President Piñera and to share this occasion with all of you present this evening; representatives of the Chilean nation, Chilean and Irish business enterprises, and members of the Chilean Irish community.

Deseo agradecerles la cálida bienvenida que nos han brindado a mí y a mi esposa, Sabina, en ocasión de nuestra primera visita a Chile en mi carácter de Presidente de Irlanda. Mi visita esta semana es un reflejo de los sólidos vínculos entre nuestros países, los cuales se remontan a muchas generaciones anteriores, a pesar de las miles de millas de distancia que separan a nuestras patrias. En el día de hoy, el Presidente y yo tuvimos la oportunidad de conversar acerca de la excelente relación y los profundos lazos históricos que unen a Chile e Irlanda, y sobre la mejor manera de continuar trabajando juntos para enriquecer y consolidar esta relación.

[I would like to thank you all for the very warm welcome which you have given me and my wife Sabina on our first visit to Chile as President of Ireland. My visit here this week reflects the strength of the ties between our two countries, which go back many generations, notwithstanding the many thousands of miles which separate our two homelands. Earlier today, the President and I had the opportunity to discuss the excellent relationship and deep historical ties that exist between Chile and Ireland and to explore together how we can best continue to nourish and develop that relationship].

Mr President:

I mentioned that this is not my first time in Chile. In 1988 I was privileged to be part of a delegation of Irish Parliamentary Observers who witnessed the plebiscite here in Chile to decide on the future of the country. The memories of the warmth of the welcome that we received as we travelled from Punto Arenas to Santiago remain fresh in my mind. On that visit, I was particularly moved by the dignity and generosity shown by the Chilean people in choosing a path based on an old respect for values of decency, democracy and human rights and the future possibilities it created.

En Irlanda, hemos seguido de cerca el crecimiento y desarrollo de su país durante décadas, y nos complace ver su progreso. Chile es una democracia consolidada, donde se respetan los derechos humanos, y el estado de derecho nacional e internacional, y donde la prosperidad económica se ve acompañada por una plena valoración de la importancia de la cohesión social – tal como lo refleja, Sr. Presidente, su promesa de sacar a todos en Chile de la pobreza extrema para el año 2020.

[We in Ireland have followed your country's development over the decades and rejoice in your progress. Chile is an established democracy where human rights and the rule of law, national and international, are respected and economic prosperity is accompanied by a full appreciation of the importance of social cohesion - as reflected, Mr. President, in your pledge to lift everyone in Chile out of extreme poverty by 2020.]

También me resulta sumamente alentador el haber visto con mis propios ojos la recuperación de Chile tras el terrible terremoto de 2010, como también ver la esperanza y determinación de su pueblo al enfrentar y superar tan tremenda destrucción y devastación.

[I have also been greatly heartened to witness at firsthand how Chile is recovering from the terrible earthquake of 2010 and to see the hope and determination with which your people have confronted and are overcoming such appalling destruction and devastation].
I would also like to acknowledge yet another important aspect to our relationship, namely multilateral political cooperation and dialogue. As President of Ireland, the country which will hold the rotating Presidency of the European Union next January when the inaugural EU-CELAC summit will take place in Santiago, I would like to congratulate you, Mr President, on assuming the role pro tempore of Co-President of CELAC, and look forward to the widening and deepening of cooperation between our two regions, the European Union and the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States, as we move forward together in the twenty first century.

Mr President:

I had the great honour, earlier today, to lay a wreath at the monument of Chile’s great Liberator, Bernardo O’Higgins, with whom of course I share a family name. As you know, Bernardo’s father, Ambrosio was born in Co. Sligo in Ireland went on to become Mayor of Concepción, Governor of Chile and later Viceroy of Peru, the highest office in South America in colonial times. Ambrosio is remembered, both here and in Ireland, as a champion of liberal beliefs in an era of tyranny and slavery. Ambrosio after all gave a lead in opposing slavery by abolishing the supplying of encourcendas on the 7th February 1789 and Bernardo overcame such obstacles as would have deflected many and chose exile rather than contribute to civil conflict or war between Chileans and Peruvians. I therefore take pride in the fact that the ties between our two nations were based not alone on the migration of people but also on shared principles and values.
Desde luego, Bernardo O’Higgins, hijo de Ambrosio, es incluso más conocido y se lo sigue honrando por ser el Libertador de Chile. En Dublín, rendimos honor a su memoria con un monumento en Merrion Square, el cual nos fuera donado por el pueblo chileno. Bernardo no estuvo solo en sus gestas heroicas durante la lucha de Chile por su independencia; hubo otros irlandeses notables que también participaron activamente en esta gesta, entre ellos, el distinguido escritor y político Juan MacKenna, el médico William Cunningham Blest y uno de los fundadores de la Armada de Chile, George O’Brien.

[Ambrose’s son, Bernardo O’Higgins, is of course even more widely known and continues to be honoured as the Liberator of Chile. In Dublin we honour his memory with a monument in Merrion Square, donated to us by the Chilean people. Bernardo was not alone in his heroic exploits in Chile’s struggle for independence; other remarkable Irishmen active in this great effort included the distinguished writer and political figure, Juan MacKenna, the physician William Cunningham Blest and one of the founders of the Chilean Navy, George O’Brien].

The Irish settlers who followed O’Higgins and MacKenna were active in the consolidation of Chilean independence and in particular in the construction of the railways that helped establish the new nation and make trade with the rest of the world possible. Reflecting these synergies and similarities, in modern times the growth of our trade and business links provide an important impetus for the continuing development of our bilateral relationship.

I am delighted to be joined on this visit by the Irish Minister for Trade and Development, Joe Costello T.D. He is, I know, availing fully of this time in Chile to explore and pursue better market opportunities for our companies.

Merchandise trade between Ireland and Chile has grown to over €100 million per year and I am pleased that we do business over a diverse range of sectors. Unlike the anonymous exports of many countries, your main export to Ireland, Chilean Wine, enjoys a very positive reputation in Ireland.

But other sectors are also well represented in our trading and business links, including in the medical, pharmaceutical and technology sectors.

Ireland was immensely proud that an Irish company made a major contribution to the design and manufacture of the drill which was used in the successful rescue of the trapped Copiapo miners in 2010, when the world watched as your government and people showed us all that is best in humanity when the values of community and solidarity are given full expression.

I know that Chile enjoys the reputation of being an excellent country in which to do business and the growth in our mutual trade bears witness to this. Ireland is also similarly regarded. Notwithstanding the economic difficulties and traumas of recent years, our export sector is doing exceptionally well and Ireland enjoys very robust levels of foreign direct investment.

Recognising the need to learn the lessons from the failure of an aggressively speculative economy, Irish people are committed to creating and building a new and authentic economic reality, one where the creativity, resilience and productivity of all our people, in every generation and particularly our young people will help to shape a new and better Ireland and deliver for our people a secure and prosperous future. This Irish creativity, which was always widely acknowledged in our literature, art and culture, is also manifest in our capabilities in the areas of science, technology and business innovation.

These are areas where I am confident that our two nations have synergies, and where we can work more closely together. In particular, I look forward to our young people collaborating with each other. I have launched in Ireland an initiative encouraging young Irish people “to take charge of change” and to share with me and other political leaders their vision for Ireland, for a new and sustainable world economy and a global society that respects difference and the fundamental dignity of all. I look forward to seeing more contacts between our people, and in particular between our youth, as this will build on our already strong bonds.

Mr. President, Ladies and Gentlemen

In Ireland, growing up, schoolchildren learned an early twentieth century Irish poem written by the Irish polymath priest, poet and mathematician, Fr. Padraig de Brún. The poem reflected on a moment when he felt the call of a sunlit faraway place in South America and to leave his books behind.

An Long (The Ship)

Tháinig long ó Valparaiso
Scaoileadh téad a seol sa chuan,
Chuir a hainm dom i gcuimhne
Ríocht na Gréine, Tír na mBua.

Translation
A ship arrived from Valparaiso
Dropped its anchor in the bay,
Her name reminded me of kingdoms,
Sunlit countries far away.

Tonight, I express the hope that, at least in metaphorical terms, many more boats will sail between Ireland and Valparaiso. Together let us celebrate the long history of contact and cooperation between our two maritime nations and let us resolve to do our utmost to broaden and deepen those bonds of friendship and affection.

Quisiera proponer un brindis por el Presidente Piñera y por la continuidad y consolidación de la amistad entre Irlanda y Chile.

[I would like to propose a toast to President Piñera and to continuing and deepening friendship between Ireland and Chile].