On Tuesday the Minister for Fun, James McDaid, was debating the powers of the humble periwinkle as opposed to those of Viagra as he launched the annual Ballybunion Bachelor Festival in Dublin. He was asked, he said, by some of the bachelors attending if he had any advice for them. He admitted that as he had married so young, he didn't have much of a chance, but was hoping that they could give him some advice "at this particular point in time".
But, in front of Kerry Deputies John Foley and Jackie Healy-Rae and Senator Dan Kiely he said he was offering the contestants a secret training location - his own Donegal.
Then the Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation jetted off to Paris for the opening of the World Cup and for a rare meeting of European sports ministers. It was McDaid's first formal meeting with his counterparts since he took office a year ago, and they discussed drug use and World Cup tickets. The British expressed great annoyance at FIFA's handling of ticket allocation and the ministers all took note. Afterwards, British minister Tony Banks told McDaid that he was greatly taken with Gaelic football since he attended the Leitrim v London game in the first round of the Connaught championship. Could his friend get him tickets for the All-Ireland final in the autumn? Our Minister promised to do his best, but couldn't guarantee that Leitrim would be playing.