Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)

With regard to Davos, the President of the European Commission made a number of very unflattering remarks about Ireland and comparisons with Iceland which I know the Taoiseach rejected in Davos. I note the European Commission President repeated much of what he stated in Davos at a later stage. Has the Taoiseach taken this up with the President of the Commission and what response has he given?

I appreciate that visits abroad are planned in advance and one cannot always anticipate what will be going on at home while one is abroad. However, given what did happen while the Taoiseach was in Japan, such as the gaffe about the IMF which caused huge damage to our international reputation, and the issue of the nationalisation of Anglo Irish Bank and the way in which the Government decision was made on this, does the Taoiseach now think it was wise for him to have fulfilled the engagement in Japan or was it something that, on reflection, he might have usefully delegated?

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