Micheál Martin going to Cuba

[Outlander]

Interview: Irish Foreign Minister Micheal Martin | GlobalPost

Conor O'Cleary's interview with our minister for foregin affairs tells us that the bould Micheál will be visiting Cuba:

Martin, who as health minister five years ago made Ireland the first EU country to ban smoking in public places, is heading this weekend to Cuba, home of the cigar.
He is the first Irish minister to visit the island and it follows a change in attitudes to Cuba within the EU, which lifted sanctions last year.

We can only hope that the visit will be worth the vast expense. Micheál will of course get direction from the great man on how to survive in power and how to run an economy on a shoestring and against a tide of domestic and international opprobrium.

We might question what value this visit will have for the Irish Economy, but then the Minister might tell us to mind our own business.

There may be an upside - he could well be charged to bring back the cigars for the fat ladies.

Good to see that Conor has not lost his sarcastic touch

I asked him about the popular gibe that the only difference between Ireland and Iceland, which last year suffered practical bankruptcy, was one letter and six months.

“The fundamental difference between Ireland and Iceland is that we are a euro country,” the slim, fast-talking Cork native retorted sharply, “and the overall level of indebtedness in Ireland is low, one of the lowest in the European Union.”

Also the country’s two main banks, Allied Irish Banks and Bank of Ireland, “are solvent” and the government was in the process of recapitalizing them.

Did he really need the inverted commas?

[Cael]

Interview: Irish Foreign Minister Micheal Martin | GlobalPost

Conor O'Cleary's interview with our minister for foregin affairs tells us that the bould Micheál will be visiting Cuba:

We can only hope that the visit will be worth the vast expense. Micheál will of course get direction from the great man on how to survive in power and how to run an economy on a shoestring and against a tide of domestic and international opprobrium.

We might question what value this visit will have for the Irish Economy, but then the Minister might tell us to mind our own business.

There may be an upside - he could well be charged to bring back the cigars for the fat ladies.

Good to see that Conor has not lost his sarcastic touch

Did he really need the inverted commas?

Hopefully, he will also learn how Cuba has managed to have the lowest infant mortality rate in the world along with Sweden, to have the highest doctor to population rate in the world - and still be able to send 25,000 doctors to assist in developing countries all over the world.

[Bobert]

Problem here is "Would Ireland trading with Cuba damage Ireland's trading with the US?"

[Mr.De-Regulation]

What benefit do we get from Cuba? Those filthy commies going to start Irish butter or something?

[Cael]

He might also learn how to take Ireland's land and wealth away from the few tramps who are holding us all to ransom.

[Mr.De-Regulation]

Problem here is "Would Ireland trading with Cuba damage Ireland's trading with the US?"

We already buy cuba products. Keeping trade sanctions on Cuba, has merely been politically motivated to win votes.

[Bobert]

We already buy cuba products. Keeping trade sanctions on Cuba, has merely been politically motivated to win votes.

What do we buy?

[corelli]

What do we buy?

Cigars Bob!!

Do you not notice we have lovely Cuban cigars for sale in this country? Though their sales might have taken a little hit recently

[Outlander]

What do we buy?

The cigars - lots of fat ladies waiting!

[EarlyBird]

Sun, sea, cigars and sangria. I wonder if he will send us a postcard?.