At 2:00 p.m. on April 8, Legislative Yuan Vice President Dr. Johnny C. Chiang (江啟臣) received an eight-member cross-party parliamentary delegation from Ireland, led by Senator Garret Ahearn. Also in attendance were KMT Legislator Chang Chih-Lun, DPP Legislator Kuo Yu-Ching, and TPP Legislator Chen Gau-Tzu.
Vice President Chiang began by extending a sincere welcome to the guests, noting that this was the fourth Irish parliamentary delegation the 11th Legislative Yuan has received in more than two years, which highlights the continued deepening of bilateral engagement. He expressed gratitude for the warm hospitality his Irish hosts extended when he led a delegation to Ireland last September (2025). Vice President Chiang remarked that while Taiwan and Ireland are geographically distant, both are highly competitive island economies with a strong reliance on international trade. He mentioned that the IMD World Competitiveness Yearbook 2025 ranked Taiwan and Ireland as the 6th and 7th top performers, respectively. Meanwhile, the UN World Happiness Report 2026, he added, ranked Ireland 13th and Taiwan 26th, reflecting that both are among the world's happiest nations. He stated that both countries share core values of freedom, democracy, and human rights, and expressed appreciation for the Irish Parliament’s long-standing support for peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait.
Vice President Chiang further noted that Taiwan and Ireland hold significant potential for collaboration in areas such as green energy, the smart economy, innovative industries, and healthcare, and that with complementary advantages, the two countries should continue to deepen their partnership to foster mutual development. He stressed that Taiwan has already established a representative office in Ireland, and he hoped that Ireland may restore its presence in Taipei in the future to further strengthen bilateral relations.
Senator Ahearn expressed pleasure in visiting Taiwan again after two years and thanked the Legislative Yuan for its warm reception. He remarked that the delegation consists of eight parliamentarians, the largest Irish parliamentary delegation visiting Taiwan since 2018, making this visit particularly significant. He mentioned that Ireland held parliamentary elections over a year ago, resulting in the election of many new members; except for himself, all members of this delegation are first-term lawmakers with prior experience as local elected representatives. He explained that the purpose of bringing the newly-elected parliamentarians to Taiwan is to deepen their understanding of Taiwan-Ireland relations and establish a foundation for engagement at an early stage.
Senator Ahearn emphasized that, coming from various regions across Ireland and a wide range of professional backgrounds, this delegation is highly representative and includes several members of the Ireland-Taiwan Parliamentary Friendship Society. He pointed out that among over 50 inter-parliamentary friendship groups in the Irish Parliament, the one with Taiwan is the second largest, after the United States, reflecting Taiwan's importance within the Irish Parliament. He reiterated Ireland's long-standing support for Taiwan's participation in international organizations, including participation in the World Health Assembly (WHA) as an observer, and affirmed that they will continue to speak up for Taiwan in the future.
Legislator Chang pointed out that Taiwan still faces challenges in pursuing international participation and needs the support of like-minded partners. He expressed the hope of establishing a more robust partnership with Ireland to deepen cooperation across various sectors.
Legislator Kuo talked about the external pressure that both Taiwan and Ireland are facing. She added that Taiwan's semiconductor industry plays a critical role in the global supply chain and that maintaining Taiwan's security is synonymous with upholding global stability. She conveyed the desire to partner with like-minded countries to promote regional peace.
Legislator Chen highlighted that Taiwan is confronting the challenge of a declining birth rate, adding that Ireland’s successful experiences in family and childcare policies serve as an invaluable reference. She went on to stress that Taiwan's strengths in hardware and semiconductor production perfectly complement Ireland's excellence in software, digital innovation, and biotechnology, and that both countries must continue to deepen collaboration through parliamentary exchanges.
The two sides then exchanged views on issues such as bilateral cooperation, addressing the declining birth rate, and demographic shifts. The meeting lasted approximately 60 minutes and concluded successfully after the exchange of gifts and a group photo. (2026/04/08)
