Bertie Ahern has predicted that Ireland will have a substantial Polish population over the long term.
The Taoiseach was speaking after talks with the President and Prime Minister of Poland at the end of his three-day trip to central and eastern Europe.
30% of all hurleys are now made in Poland - this surprising fact reflected in a gift of a framed camán to the Taoiseach from Prime Minster Tusk, a sign of the growing links between Ireland and the country of 40m people.
Mr Ahern's talks ranged over EU issues, the military operation in Chad, Kosovo and issues related to the tens of thousands of expatriate Polish living in Ireland, whose presence was tragically highlighted by the deaths of two of them attacked in Dublin.
The Taoiseach predicted that a large number of Polish people would settle and put down roots in Ireland that for the long term we would have a sizable expatriate community.
The Prime Mnister, Donald Tusk, paid lavish tribute to the Taoiseach's experience on the EU stage.
Europe had very few statesmen of Bertie Ahern's calibre and authority, Mr Tusk said, and Poland would be happy to support him if he put his hat in the ring for the post of EU president
The Taoiseach also met President Lech Kaczynski, whose twin brother was toppled as prime minister by Mr Tusk last year.
Mr Ahern and his delegation were due back in Dublin this evening.
