Martin Mansergh (Tipperary South, Fianna Fail)

I will come to that issue. The Canadians came because the Canadian Minister is head of what is known as the constituency. At ministerial and sub-ministerial level they visit occasionally to maintain good relations and discuss matters with us. It is part of keeping in touch with the constituency. I am sure they do the same vis-À-vis Caribbean countries. It would be wrong to see the purpose of the visit last August, which is somewhat of a holiday period in Canada as well as here, as in any way preparing for the agreement which came up at much shorter notice in the autumn. There are no resident IMF officials here but there are number of IMF officials currently in Dublin on a technical mission for a week to ten days.

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