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LINED UP FOR inspection, similar to rugby players about to go to battle, cabinet ministers and European commissioners waited patiently on the University College Cork (UCC) campus quadrangle on Thursday evening.
Sauntering in together to the background music of the army band, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Taoiseach Micheal Martin walked over to their respective players.
Laughing and joking, Martin introduced his ministers, with von der Leyen moving down the line slowly until she shook hands with all the college commissioners.
Observed by one eagle eye reporter, an official to the right of the green had been tasked with minding all the female politician’s handbags. Under the summer sun, he was fairly weighed down.
The European Commission president was nearly four hours late, having flown straight in from Armenia, so Thursday evening was really just about pleasantries. After a quick reception and bite to eat it was off the five-star Hayfield Manor Hotel for von der Leyen to get some shut-eye.
For some of the cabinet ministers, there was a night cap or two in the nearby Costigan’s bar.
But Friday, it was down to business.
Martin chose the UCC grounds to host the mega meeting of Irish cabinet ministers and the college of commissioners.
The notable talking point over the last two days was the weather, with the sun beating down on the campus.
The Taoiseach must have been only delighted that his old stomping ground as a student could be seen in all its glory, not just to the European politicos, but the large number of foreign journalists that were also over for the occasion.
“Don’t tell them the weather isn’t like this all the time,” joked one government official.
In the afternoon, ministers and commissioners broke up into smaller groups or ‘clusters’ as they referred to them, to discuss their respective briefs.
Health Minister Jennifer Carroll MacNeill told reporters her discussion was focused on medical devices regulation and biotech, in particular, with talks honing in on how to get innovative products to market more quickly.
A major cardiovascular plan is also in the offing, she said stating that there needs to be a shift towards preventative medicine, whereby every citizen is checking and is aware of their health numbers and vitals.
Describing it as a good and detailed conversation, she said she was happy to get the work going.
It was comments made by Foreign Affairs Minister Helen McEntee before her meeting that garnered much of the attention on Friday.
Looking somewhat exasperated at having to discuss the lack of movement when it comes to sanctions against Israel, she told the media this morning: “Again, unfortunately, I don’t believe at the moment there is a consensus.”
“But I would ask colleagues, and I will be saying this at the next meeting, we have a UN report, an independently verified report that is now saying that the Israeli Defense Forces, that the Israeli government are targeting children, not prior to the ceasefire, but post the ceasefire.
“We all have to stand up and listen to this. We have to take action. We have to respond to these type of actions, so that we do see a change and a different response from the Israeli government. And that’s what we’ll be advocating for. And again, that’s what I’ll be saying to colleagues here on the commission today,” said the minister.
Speaking to reporters before his meetings, Justice Minister Jim O’Callaghan praised the policing operation while speaking at UCC.
O’Callaghan said: “It’s a big challenge in terms of President Zelensky coming here, and now the College of Commissioners coming here.
“I just want to commend the Garda Commissioners and all members of the force for the outstanding professional policing service that they’ve provided here in the first two days of the presidency.”
There had been reports that von der Leyen might have followed in Queen Elizabeth’s footsteps and walked around the English Market.
Fota Island was also mentioned, but in the end, perhaps down to security concerns, all she got to see of the rebel county was Cork City Hall and the Tyndall National Institute, where she was shown around the semiconductor lab.
Martin also gave her a tour of the campus, taking in some art at the Glucksman Gallery.
After the huddles of meetings around the campus, it was time for the family photo. It was all smiles. Martin looked happy enough that it was all going off without a hitch. But next up was the joint press conference with von der Leyen.
Typically, how these press conferences generally work when a foreign dignitary is in town is the travelling press get two questions and the Irish media pack get two questions.
Aughinish Alumina plant in Limerick that has the Irish government in hot water, the possibility of a social media ban for children, China, the delays passengers are facing at European airports and sanctions against Israel were all raised with von der Leyen.
Asked by The Journal (this reporter) why she and the commission “dragging their feet” on the issue of Israel and when would action be taken, von der Leyen batted away the suggestion.
“No one does more than us”, referring to the EU’s financial support to the Palestinian people.
The expansion of Israeli settlements in occupied Palestinian territories is “utterly unacceptable”, von der Leyen said.
Von der Leyen said her commission had proposed suspending an EU-Israel free trade agreement 10 months ago, but sign off requires a majority among EU member states.
“The ball is in the court of the member states,” she said.
With the press conference wrapped up, a quick kiss on the cheek from Martin, von der Leyen was whisked away to the airport.
Once the wheels were up, gardaí at UCC got their “stand down”, and it was packing-up time.
The Taoiseach will be happy with the first big event of the EU presidency. No major faux pas, no security issues, no diplomatic incidents. Just another six months to go.
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