Special one takes Halloween trip for Merkel treats

ENDA HAD an interesting week. It began with a trick and ended with quite a lot of treats.

First, it looked like Angela Merkel was slamming the door on the possibility of debt forgiveness. Then Enda phoned up and she declared that Ireland was a “special case” and Enda was “mine special strudel”. We made that last bit up, but nonetheless, everybody loves Enda.

The Yanks love him. The Germans love him. The French love him. He’s on this month’s cover of Time. He got a prestigious award on Wednesday: European of the Year, in the eyes of the publishers association of Germany.

Why? ’Cos he’s special.

He’s off again to Berlin in a few days time, rattling his little bucket and asking Angela to “help the Halloween party”. With any luck, she might throw us a few monkey nuts.

Because this Mr Popularity thing has to start paying dividends soon, doesn’t it? We hear Enda is putting a lot of effort into the preparations for his latest trip.

This might explain the urgent email sent by the authorities on Wednesday to all TDs and Senators: “A paper bag of Hallowe’en novelties was found in the Library Reading Room in Leinster House ...” The mind boggles.

It has to belong to the Taoiseach, getting ready for some more trick or treat with Mrs Merkel. Either that or it belongs to Leo, who can’t wait for Halloween. He says he’s going to dress up as Róisín Shorthall and throw James Reilly on the bonfire and eat himself sick.

Although if there are any bangers in the bag, maybe they should give Martin Ferris a call.

There was a touching moment in the Upper House on Tuesday when Senators were deciding whether or not to take offence at being called “special” by Angela Merkel and François Hollande.

Sinn Féin’s David Cullinane said we could do without communiques and “photographs of people kissing each other”. Fianna Fáil’s Marc McSharry was similarly unimpressed. “To say that we’re special doesn’t cut it any more. Let us see some real action rather than this week-on-week rhetoric from the Taoiseach and others,” he huffed.

“The jealousy is unreal. I’m disappointed,” sighed Fine Gael’s Fidelma Healy-Eames.

Her Labour colleague, the lovely Lorraine Higgins, felt the lads were being unnecessarily mean-spirited.

“Unlike Senator MacSharry, and as a single woman, I would be delighted to have anybody call me special at the moment,” she quivered.

Aaaaw . . .