The Government delegate in Cantabria, Ainoa Quiñones, discussed on Tuesday with the Ambassador of Ireland in Spain, Frank Smyth, the opportunities for economic and cultural collaboration between Cantabria and the island state, which this year celebrates the 50th anniversary of its incorporation into the European Union.
Quiñones and Smyth held a meeting at the headquarters of the Government Delegation in Cantabria in which they addressed the strategic value of the Port of Santander, the importance of the Cantabrian industry and its potential, as well as other economic sectors such as fisheries, agri-food, tourism and technology.
The delegate of the Government has conveyed to the Ambassador of Ireland in Spain her confidence that “the ties between the Autonomous Community and her country continue to be strengthened.”
After the meeting, Smyth gave a lecture at the Ateneo de Santander which, organized by the House of Europe in Cantabria, was entitled ‘Balance of the 50th Anniversary of Ireland’s accession to the EU’.
Quiñones, who was in charge of presenting him, extolled that “Ireland is a sister country of Spain, a land very similar to ours in Cantabria”.
The government delegate has highlighted “the social, economic, cultural, identity and political wealth of the European Union, in which Ireland entered in 1973 and shared economic policy and the euro with Spain since 1999”.
“50 years that have represented for his country the greatest advance in rights, freedoms and well-being in all its history, as has also happened with Spain,” he said.
Thus, he indicated that “the EU’s structural funds were vital to improve the country’s infrastructure, transport or economy, as are now also the Next Generation funds”.