One less junket

Times have changed in Ireland. The British-Irish Council met yesterday in Cardiff. Taoiseach Brian Cowen attended. His predecessor Bertie Ahern would never have let this happen. Because he would have arranged for the Council to meet one month from now, Friday 20 March, no doubt going there direct from Washington after St Patrick's Day, and then would have stayed for the Wales v Ireland rugby the next day (good corporate hospitality packages still available). Maybe there really is some understanding that the rules have changed.