{"id":249297,"date":"2026-01-17T09:08:08","date_gmt":"2026-01-17T09:08:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/249297\/"},"modified":"2026-01-17T09:08:08","modified_gmt":"2026-01-17T09:08:08","slug":"simon-harriss-west-coast-trip-gets-sharon-stone-seal-of-approval-the-irish-times","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/249297\/","title":{"rendered":"Simon Harris\u2019s west coast trip gets Sharon Stone seal of approval \u2013 The Irish Times"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Taoiseach let fly at Sinn F\u00e9in<\/a> on Tuesday afternoon for saying his Government has not taken a strong enough stand against Donald Trump<\/a> while he \u201ctears to bits international law\u201d. <\/p>\n

\u201cIt would be fair to say that the world is not exactly where we would want it to be,\u201d remarked Ruair\u00ed \u00d3 Murch\u00fa, one of the party\u2019s two TDs for Louth, during questions on international matters. <\/p>\n

He listed big global conflicts and the outrageous Trump-sanctioned raid on Venezuela\u2019s authoritarian president and his removal to New York to stand trial on drugs charges.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhatever people\u2019s view of president Maduro, nobody can stand up and state that America has the right to remove whichever leaders it doesn\u2019t like,\u201d said Ruair\u00ed, reasonably enough. <\/p>\n

\u201cThis State has not been sufficiently strong in its reaction.\u201d He thought the EU\u2019s response was \u201cparticularly weak\u201d too.<\/p>\n

Earlier in the day, his colleague Matt Carthy was out defending the party\u2019s attendance at the inauguration of the despotic Nicol\u00e1s Maduro<\/a> six years ago. <\/p>\n

\u201cIt was in 2019, so obviously, circumstances were very different\u201d.<\/p>\n

Back in the D\u00e1il, Miche\u00e1l Martin agreed that the world is not in a good place with the \u201cmultilateral order\u201d under threat while too many regimes \u201chave carried on regardless\u201d. <\/p>\n

He pointed to Sinn F\u00e9in\u2019s \u201cchequered record\u201d in this regard, having endorsed Maduro\u2019s discredited election and attended his inauguration. <\/p>\n

Deputy \u00d3 Murch\u00fa and his colleagues were highly affronted. <\/p>\n

The Taoiseach was highly exercised. <\/p>\n

Having just been lectured by them about human rights, he suggested that maybe they should show \u201ca bit of consistency\u201d when pronouncing on the subject. <\/p>\n

\u201cYou have a really dodgy track record in supporting very dodgy leaders over the years … across that hemisphere,\u201d he said. <\/p>\n

\u201cSo maybe a small bit of humility on your side now in terms of lecturing other people about geopolitics might not go amiss. Because you\u2019re the most self-righteous bunch I\u2019ve ever come across at times in your pontificating about human rights and a whole lot of other things.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou guys showed scant regard for human rights when practised by rulers and authoritarian leaders that you were friendly with and shared expertise with.\u201d<\/p>\n

The following day, Miche\u00e1l was missing when Leaders\u2019 Questions came around at midday.<\/p>\n

But this isn\u2019t Venezuela (or Trump World).<\/p>\n

He bustled down the chamber steps, all smiles at the waiting Mary Lou McDonald and her colleagues, explaining he held back to allow Michael Collins of Independent Ireland finish his passionate speech about water.<\/p>\n

Labour\u2019s Ged Nash gestured across to the Government front bench where Minister for Justice Jim O\u2019Callaghan, seen as a possible successor to Miche\u00e1l, was seated. <\/p>\n

\u201cI thought Jim would step in there.\u201d <\/p>\n

To which Louise O\u2019Reilly, perhaps mindful of Miche\u00e1l\u2019s bruising remarks the day before, drily reposted: \u201cFill a vacuum.\u201d<\/p>\n

Zootopia<\/p>\n

Well done to the officials from the Department of Agriculture for keeping relatively straight faces during Wednesday\u2019s meeting of the Committee on Agriculture and Food. <\/p>\n

The important issue of biosecurity was discussed, with everything from bluetongue in sheep to ash dieback, biting midges and noxious weeds getting an airing. <\/p>\n

The department\u2019s vets were well drilled in their area but they didn\u2019t have much to say on the subject of erotic animals, which was raised by Independent Ireland\u2019s Michael Fitzmaurice.<\/p>\n

He said you can go on certain websites and buy \u201cnearly everything from a snake to a different bird to a crocodile or whatever\u201d. Why can\u2019t they just be confined to zoos? <\/p>\n

\u201cMink were let out in this country and we can see the torture they\u2019re causing us now.\u201d <\/p>\n

Michael said there are places where the department \u201cis letting in these erotic animals or whatever you call them and then people get fed up with them and let them off. We\u2019re looking for trouble.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf you want to look at something erotic in an animal, why don\u2019t you go to the zoo?\u201d<\/p>\n

His independent Ireland colleague, Ken O\u2019Flynn, also had people stifling the giggles this week when he had a Danny Healy-Rae phone malfunction moment during statements on AI. <\/p>\n

Some carry-on <\/p>\n

The Taoiseach and T\u00e1naiste are just back from visits to erotic places. <\/p>\n

Miche\u00e1l Martin was in China for five days and Simon Harris was in California for three. <\/p>\n

Simon was \u201con an official visit\u201d to the Golden State to meet politicians and business leaders, particularly those in the tech, pharma and healthcare sectors. He had a meeting with the state governor and Trump needler-in-chief, Gavin Newsom<\/a>. <\/p>\n

Newsom is being touted as a presidential contender for the Democrats in 2028. <\/p>\n

On Tuesday, the two had \u201ca warm and constructive discussion on a variety of key issues\u201d. <\/p>\n

The photos looked nice. Harris and Newsom, with their swept-back hair and greying temples, were like a pair of silver-tinged devils.<\/p>\n

The T\u00e1naiste\u2019s people were over the moon after the visit. The governor posted on Instagram about how he was thrilled to meet the Irish deputy PM and discuss California\u2019s economic partnership with \u201cthe Emerald Isle\u201d.<\/p>\n

All well and good, but that\u2019s not why they were over the moon. <\/p>\n

It\u2019s because movie star Sharon Stone<\/a> endorsed the visit, liking the post with applause and smiling heart-eyes emojis.<\/p>\n

They\u2019re still talking about it.<\/p>\n

\"TaoiseachTaoiseach Miche\u00e1l Martin and Chinese president Xi Jinping in Beijing. Photograph: Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade <\/p>\n

Meanwhile, the Taoiseach had a big social media moment when he went on his official visit to China. <\/p>\n

The last time Miche\u00e1l went on a trip to China, his luggage didn\u2019t arrive with him. This time, his hand luggage made the news. <\/p>\n

Chinese TikTok was quite taken by the \u201cfrugal\u201d Irish leader. Some posts about the trip got more than 300,000 likes. <\/p>\n

Many commenters were surprised to see that he was carrying his own bag \u2013 a very nice soft leather briefcase bought in a shop in Cork \u2013 when he stepped from the plane.<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s a sample of the comments: <\/p>\n

\u201cCarry your own bag? That\u2019s ridiculous.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s supposed to be the prime minister, so why is he carrying his own bag? And taking the shuttle bus? What about Ireland\u2019s national image?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAm I seeing things? Is this a regular commercial flight or Emirates Airlines?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe prime minister arrived by regular plane [laughing emoji].\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve always had a good impression of Ireland.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe actually carried his own bag …\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cVery approachable.\u201d<\/p>\n

Tippling point<\/p>\n

Three cheers for the EU\u2019s foreign policy chief, Kaja Kallas.<\/p>\n

None of this navel-gazing Dry January malarkey for her. <\/p>\n

As high representative for foreign affairs and security policy, she is the EU\u2019s top diplomat \u2013 a tough assignment in these troubling times. Kallas is also European Commission vice-president and she was the first woman prime minister of Estonia. <\/p>\n

During a recent meeting with political group leaders in the European Parliament, she confided that now might be a \u201cgood moment\u201d to \u201cstart drinking\u201d, given the parlous state of global affairs. <\/p>\n

[\u00a0EU leaders cautious over Venezuela amid fears of losing Trump on UkraineOpens in new window<\/a>\u00a0]<\/p>\n

According to Politico Brussels, the members of the conference of leaders were exchanging new year greetings while gloomily noting that there was little to be happy about. The meeting took place around the same time as foreign ministers from Greenland and Denmark were meeting US vice-president JD Vance and secretary of state Marco Rubio over Washington\u2019s interest in acquiring the Arctic territory. <\/p>\n

\"EUEU high representative for foreign affairs Kaja Kallas in Brussels on Wednesday. Photograph: Olivier Hoslet\/EPA <\/p>\n

Given the unsettling international developments, Kallas remarked that while she \u201cisn\u2019t much of a drinker\u201d, now might be a good time to start.<\/p>\n

Hic Hic Hooray!<\/p>\n

The chaos in the world is enough to drive anyone to the drink. Except Donald Trump, who has started a lot of it. He never touches anything stronger than Diet Coke.<\/p>\n

Bal\u00e1zs Orb\u00e1n, who is the political director of Hungarian PM Viktor Orb\u00e1n (no relation), has called on Kallas to resign. <\/p>\n

No surprise there. <\/p>\n

The boss is back<\/p>\n

Miche\u00e1l Martin was hardly a wet day back from China when he started a crackdown on displays of insubordination in the parliamentary party ranks. <\/p>\n

Members of his growing awkward squad gave him a torrid time in the wake of the Jim Gavin presidential election debacle. The Taoiseach took his medicine initially, but grew increasingly impatient with his critics as his punishment period dragged on until Christmas. <\/p>\n

One meeting in the aftermath of the implosion of his handpicked candidate dragged on for over five hours. <\/p>\n

This week, the Supreme Leader decided to move the weekly parliamentary party meeting from Wednesday night to an earlier starting time on Tuesday evening. <\/p>\n

Disgruntled TDs and Senators with axes to grind will have to turn up for a 5.30pm kick-off in the party rooms when they should be scraping knives and forks at the teatime fry-up in the canteen. And it\u2019s too early for a pre-theatre drink.<\/p>\n

Worst still, the boss has imposed a strict two-hour cap on the running time. <\/p>\n

Sure that\u2019s not a meeting at all. <\/p>\n

Some people will not be happy.<\/p>\n

But the media moles who monitor the \u201cprivate\u201d discussions will be delighted with the early finish.<\/p>\n

And Miche\u00e1l\u2019s ears will be thanking him. If the plan works.<\/p>\n

Real estate role<\/p>\n

Congratulations to former government press secretary Mandy Johnston, who has been appointed chief executive of Irish Institutional Property (IIP).<\/p>\n

IIP represents the institutional investors \u2013 the big bucks and big hitters in Ireland\u2019s real estate market. <\/p>\n

She takes over from Pat Farrell \u2013 a former general secretary of Fianna F\u00e1il among many things \u2013 in April. <\/p>\n

Mandy is currently chief executive of Blue Yard Consultancy \u2013 a public affairs and strategic advisory firm she founded in 2017. <\/p>\n

Before that, she was CEO of the Irish Offshore Operators\u2019 Association, banging the drum for the offshore oil and gas industry.<\/p>\n

Announcing her appointment, IIP said she takes over \u201cat a critical time for Ireland\u2019s real estate sector, as housing delivery, infrastructure investment and sustainable development remain central challenges for policymakers and society\u201d. <\/p>\n

Chairman Peter Collins said \u201cthe breadth and depth of experience and leadership she brings will be very important in IIP\u2019s ongoing engagement with Government and other key stakeholders\u201d. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The Taoiseach let fly at Sinn F\u00e9in on Tuesday afternoon for saying his Government has not taken a…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":244099,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[12807,61,25919,60,1843,43,92550,125028,70],"class_list":["post-249297","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-ireland","tag-gavin-newsom","tag-ie","tag-independent-ireland","tag-ireland","tag-micheal-martin","tag-news","tag-nicolas-maduro","tag-ruairi-o-murchu","tag-simon-harris"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/249297","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=249297"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/249297\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/244099"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=249297"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=249297"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=249297"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}