THE Taoiseach arrived in Rome last night for a two day visit to Italy and the Vatican, during which he will have meetings with the Pope, the Italian President, "Mr Oscar Luigi Scalfaro, and the caretaker prime minister, Mr Lamberto Dini.
Mr Bruton's visit is primarily concerned with furthering dialogue with his opposite number about Italy's stewardship of the European Union presidency, assumed on January 1st, which will be followed by the Irish presidency in July.
In a meeting this morning, Mr Dini will remind the Taoiseach that Italy has already identified the single European currency issue, EU wide unemployment and the March Inter Governmental Conference in Turin as the outstanding issues of this semester.
Mr Dini may well also point out that Italy has a particular interest in establishing a Mediterranean dimension to EU affairs, as well as establishing common policies on fighting organised crime and on immigration from non EU countries.
The two heads of government are also likely to discuss pressing European issues such as the former Yugoslavia and the Chechen crisis.
Mr Bruton arrives in Italy at a delicate moment, with Mr Dini's year old "technical" government having formally resigned last Thursday, and with no swift resolution to the current political crisis in sight.
Italian Foreign Office sources yesterday told Tlie Irish Times that, despite the apparent domestic power vacuum, Mr Din is certain to reassure the Taoiseach that, as far as the European Union is concerned, it is "business as usual".
Tomorrow the Taoiseach will have a private audience with the Pope in the Vatican, the highlight of a morning long visit to the Holy See during which the Taoiseach and Mrs Bruton will visit both the Sistine Chapel and the Vatican Museum.