Irish President Michael D. Higgins has hailed the transformation of relations between Britain and Ireland, from a period of doubt to trust and mutual respect.
In a historic address to the Houses of Parliament – the first time Ireland’s head of State has been given the honour – Higgins said the two countries now have a closeness that once seemed unachievable.
He said Britain and Ireland must take pride in the peace that has been built in Northern Ireland. “I am conscious that I am in the company here of many distinguished parliamentarians who have made their own individual contributions to the journey we have travelled together,” he said.
“I acknowledge them and I salute them, as I acknowledge and salute all those who have selflessly worked to build concord between our peoples. I celebrate our warm friendship and I look forward with confidence to a future in which that friendship can grow even more resolute and more productive.”
In a wide-ranging speech, President Higgins touched on many of the themes which his four-day official State visit to Britain will explore, including emigration and shared history.
The significance of the President’s visit is further deepened by the invitation for him to stay at the Queen’s home, Windsor Castle, where a state banquet was held in his honour last night and the presence of Northern Ireland Deputy First Minister and ex-IRA commander Martin McGuinness at the royal dinner – a move unthinkable only a decade ago.
The President, who is a poet, academic, intellectual and human rights activist and football fan, addressed peers and MPs in Parliament’s Royal Gallery, flanked by floral displays in green, white and orange.
Prime Minister David Cameron, Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg and Labour leader Ed Miliband were in the audience.
Also among the MPs watching the address were Sinn Fein’s Pat Doherty, Michelle Gildernew and Paul Maskey, who do not take their seats in the Commons.
Northern Ireland Secretary Theresa Villiers was joined by predecessors in the role including Peter Hain. President Higgins paid tribute to the UK Parliament for being synonymous with the principle of democracy and used his address to urge politicians to look at the foundation of parliamentary democracy in Britain for inspiration, referencing the Magna Carta and its significance for modern nations.
He said politics, society and the economy cause division between the citizen and the State when they are treated as separate entities and he urged polticians to remember that citizenship should be rooted in the principles of active participation, justice and freedom.