Al Murr meets Sean Barrett

Abu Dhabi: Mohammad Ahmad Al Murr, Speaker of the Federal National Council (FNC), yesterday met Sean Barrett, the Speaker of the Lower House of the Irish Parliament (Dail) at the Secretariat General of the FNC, and discussed exempting UAE citizens from current visa requirements.

Al Murr affirmed that since the relations between the UAE and Ireland have reached an advanced stage, this required further progress in ties to meet the aspirations of the two friendly countries, especially as there are a large number of Emiratis who visit the European Union (EU) in general and Ireland in particular for study, medical treatment and investment. He added that exempting UAE citizens from existing visa requirements would contribute to developing relations to the advantage of the two countries.

For his part, Barrett affirmed that he will follow up the issue with the authorities in his country to make it easier for UAE nationals to get a visa quickly and easily, stressing that this issue would contribute to boosting relations between the two countries.

Also present at the meeting were Amal Al Qubaisi, First Deputy Speaker of the FNC and Dr Mohammad Salem Al Mazroui, Secretary General of the FNC, as well as the Irish Ambassador to the United Arab Emirates, Ciaran Madden.

Al Murr welcomed his Irish counterpart and hailed the strong relations between the UAE and Ireland in all fields, particularly the political, economic and tourist domains. He also discussed ways of developing ties between the FNC and Dail, and ways of activating friendship committees between the two sides in order to exchange expertise in all aspects.

The FNC Speaker asserted that President His Highness Shaikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the sponsor of the march of FNC empowerment, continues the same approach since assuming his constitutional powers and the democratic experience in the UAE is successful thanks to the support of the wise leadership, in addition to the citizens’ awareness and their keenness to work to put the UAE in the rank of the developed countries.

Amal Al Qubaisi reviewed the country’s interest in educating and empowering woman in all fields as well as participation in political work, adding that Shaikh Khalifa is leading the empowerment march of woman in order for them to occupy the highest rank in all fields as a continuation of the march of the Founder, the late Shaikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan.

Al Murr and Barrett discussed a number of political, economic, regional and international issues.

For his part, Barrett reviewed the work mechanism of the parliament and its legislative and monitoring function, stressing the strong relations between the UAE and Ireland.

He also added that bilateral relations are outstanding in all areas and have turned in a short period of time into a strong partnership, including coordination in all sectors, and lauding the parliamentary march in the country with the participation of women as parliamentarians.