British EU Commissioner Neil Kinnock comes to Dublin at the end of next week and the Labour Party is charging 100 euros (£78) a head for lunch with him in the Burlington Hotel.
The former British Labour leader and now Commissioner for Administrative Reform, (charged with cleaning up the commission after the sleaze allegations of the Jacques Santer regime), is in Belfast on Thursday when he will dine with Northern Secretary, Peter Mandelson in Hillsborough Castle before travelling to Dublin. On Friday he will make a courtesy call on the Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern, and will talk business - mainly seeking public service ministers' agreement on an internal EU reform package - with the Minister for Finance, Charlie McCreevy. He will be entertained to drinks by Labour leader Ruairi Quinn at his home on Sandymount Strand before departing for the Burlington, where about 100 are expected.
Is it not strange for a Commissioner to do a fundraising gig? Unusual apparently, but by no means prohibited. A Commission spokesman said as long as there's no payment, and there isn't, commissioners are allowed to be politicians. Kinnock's Brussels spokesman said the code of conduct lays down that commissioners must be independent, take no instructions from governments and not engage in any outside professional activity, paid or unpaid. But they can hold honorary posts and be active members of political parties or trade unions as long as there's no decision-making involved.
And what's more, as Quidnunc knows, Kinnock is good value. He's an interesting, and very witty, speaker.