Charles attended the opening of the environmentally state of the art headquarters of the Department of Conservation in Wellington in February 2007 - see link

He was delighted to return to the building on 30 October to represent the Government in welcoming the visiting President of Ireland, Mary McAlese, and her husband Dr Martin McAlese, on a tour of the building. The President was also accompanied by the Irish Minister of Education, Mary Hanafin, and the Irish Ambassador to New Zealand (based in Canberra), as part of a 41 strong delegation. This is the second visit by an Irish President to New Zealand, which has a large and strong Irish-descended community dating back to the earliest days of European settlement.

Mary McAleese was inaugurated as the eighth President of Ireland on 11th November, 1997, and re-elected to that office on 1st October 2004. She is a barrister and former Professor of Law. Born on June 27th 1951 in Belfast, she is the first President to come from Northern Ireland. The eldest of nine children, President McAleese grew up in Northern Ireland through the violent times that have come to be known as 'The Troubles'. Her family was one of many adversely affected by the conflict. She graduated in Law from the Queen's University of Belfast in 1973 and was called to the Northern Ireland Bar in 1974. I n 1975, she was appointed Reid Professor of Criminal Law, Criminology and Penology at Trinity College Dublin and in 1987, she returned to her Alma Mater, Queen's, to become Director of the Institute of Professional Legal Studies. In 1994, she became the first female Pro-Vice Chancellor of the Queen's University of Belfast. President McAleese is an experienced broadcaster, having worked as a current affairs journalist and presenter in radio and television. She has a longstanding interest in many issues concerned with justice, equality, social inclusion, anti-sectarianism and reconciliation. The theme of her Presidency is 'Building Bridges'.

Charles is pictured just before giving a welcome address to the President summarising some of the Government's initiatives to combat climate change. The full text can be read at http://www.charleschauvel.com/index.php?file=speeches&op=details&id=310