(Mr President, thank you for the opportunity to say a few words on the Irish presidency. Before I make my comments I would like to wish the Irish Government well in their application to have Irish recognised as an official working language in the EU. For all nations, but perhaps smaller nations in particular, cultural identity is very important. We can all be true Europeans and yet fully retain our cultural identity and language is a vital part of this.)

In the first session of the afternoon, there will be an initial debate on “Rural development and equal opportunities policy: present and future” involving Marianne Eriksson, MEP, Deirdre Carroll, representing the Irish Presidency of the European Union (Assistant Secretary-General, Irish Ministry for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs), Robert Savy (FR-PES), member of the DEVE Commission and President of the Limousin Regional Council, as well as representatives of the European Commission, the European Commission’s Standing Group on Women in Rural Areas and the Estonian Rural Women's Association.

It must mean the luck of the Irish for our three new senators to come to this chamber on such an important day as St. Patrick's Day.

The luck of the Irish had been with Dick Donahoe more than 60 years ago when he met and married a Cape Bretoner, Eileen Boyd.

* The Irish "Programme for Prosperity and Fairness " (a national tripartite agreement for the period 2000-2002) covers the fields of lifelong learning, labour market policy, proliferation of the information society, equal opportunities as well as family friendly policies.

To Mr. John Meaney and his wife Evelyn who have served the community with pride, love and dedication for over 23 years, I wish them all the true luck of the Irish as John faces the challenge of being Kirkland's chief magistrate.