THE Ceann Comhairle, Mr Sean Treacy, welcoming the Chancellor, Dr Kohl, said he was "the man who, more than any other, lifted Germany up from the ashes and achieved an economics miracle". He united Germany in 1990 after the division of 1945, a brave, heroic and patriotic act that was not without sacrifices. The Irish people saluted Chancellor Kohl as its architect and guiding light.
There was an intrinsic link between German unity and the European Union. The man who united Germany "has the best prospect of uniting Europe and bringing to fruition the hopes, ideals and aspirations of the founding fathers of the European "ideal".
Mr Treacy recalled the historic links between Ireland and Germany and said that today there were more than 170 German companies operating in Ireland, employing more than 10,000, which made Germany the second largest investor involved in our economic development.