Expect a flurry of British-Irish activity over the next few weeks with Tony Blair, Peter Mandelson, David Trimble, Seamus Mallon and the first ministers of Scotland, Wales, the Isle of Man and the Channel Isles all coming to the Republic for various high-level meetings.
First off is the North-South Council in Dublin Castle on Tuesday. Many will recall its inaugural meeting in Armagh nearly a year ago when the procession of ministerial Mercs from Dublin resembled either a Mafia funeral or a victorious power arriving to take the surrender of the vanquished. If only for security reasons, the Northern ministers are unlikely to adopt a similar form of transport, but will make their own way to Dublin. Two key ministers who won't be arriving at all are Gregory Campbell and Maurice Morrow, who now hold the revolving DUP posts of Regional and Social Development.
In Dublin, the Northerners will meet their Cabinet counterparts, led by Bertie Ahern and Mary Harney, to discuss matters of mutual concern, including trade, transport and energy. The British Irish Council, (the east-west body), brings together heads of government and senior ministers on these islands, so Blair and Mandelson and the first ministers from the regional British parliaments, Donald Dewar of Scotland and Rhodri Morgan of Wales, will be in Dublin at the end of the month. Drugs will be the major item.
In between the two councils, which emanate from the Belfast Agreement, is the 21st plenary session of the British Irish Inter-Parliamentary Body in Galway on October 8th, 9th and 10th. This gathering of backbenchers will be greatly expanded with delegates due from the new UK parliaments.