Between now and the end of the month we'll be receiving a flurry of important visitors. Next week, the President of the EC Jacques Santer addresses the Seanad and the EU Transport Commissioner, Neil Kinnock, flies in for talks. The following week, on November 25th and 26th, the British PM Tony Blair and his wife Cherie will be here on an official visit. Also before the end of the month Mo Mowlam will be in Cork, David Trimble in Dublin and the Polish PM, Jerzy Karol Buzek, arrives on Monday. Queen Elizabeth won't be here until the next millennium as, despite the trouble-free visit by the Duke of Edinburgh, the heads of state - both Britain's and ours - have such busy diaries that they are booked up a year in advance.
Santer's visit results from an initiative by the Progressive Democrats' Senator John Dardis, who believed an address to the upper house would be appropriate as we celebrate 25 years in the EU. After lunch with the Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern, on Thursday, Santer will speak for an hour, probably on EMU and enlargement, and answer questions. The escalating row over the ending of European duty-free sales in June is certain to arise, as it will again when the Minister for Public Enterprise meets Commissioner Kinnock the same day. Mary O'Rourke is known to be incensed that the commissioners are retaining their huge allocation while ordinary travellers are losing theirs. Kinnock, however, to give him his due, has renounced his entitlement.
Despite the victory of dutyfree supporter Gerhard Schroder in Germany, the game appears to be up. Only an agreement by all 15 finance ministers could reopen the issue and since the Mediterranean countries can't understand what all the fuss is about, as their duty-free sales are almost non-existent compared with northern Europe, it seems unlikely.
The Blair visit starts with an official dinner in Dublin Castle on the Wednesday and the next day he will address a joint meeting of the Oireachtas in Leinster House. The North will feature heavily. A number of events are being planned, including a separate programme, with a legal emphasis, for Cherie Blair, who will be escorted by Celia Larkin.