Next week's deadline in the Northern talks forced the Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern, to cancel his trip to Mexico and Brazil this weekend, so the Tanaiste, Mary Harney, is flying down to Rio from an industrial promotions mission in the US, bypassing Mexico (engagements there have been cancelled), to lead the Irish delegation at the huge EU, Latin America and Caribbean summit.
She and the Minister for Foreign Affairs, David Andrews will be among 48 heads of government and more than 20 deputy prime ministers discussing politics, economics, the UN, trade and human rights at the two-day summit starting on Monday.
Between them, the Tanaiste and the Minister will have 13 bilateral meetings with their Latin American and Caribbean counterparts and tomorrow Andrews will attend the foreign ministers' meeting where the Irish aim is to strengthen our participation in the region now that we are to open an embassy in Mexico City in September. Andrews will fly back on Tuesday and go straight to the North.