A week ago, when Dr Angela Merkel’s visit to Dublin was announced, a German spokesman told our Berlin correspondent Derek Scally the “visit is the message”. Merkel, according to Government sources with direct knowledge, asked if it would be helpful if she visited. Where the rhetoric elsewhere in Europe – including sometimes out of Dublin – is understandably exasperated with the British, Merkel sounded emollient and promised to work – “until the last hour . Nonetheless, though she gave little away in the post-meeting press conference, Merkel is clearly on manoeuvres. For a start, despite the concerns expressed by Merkel at the recent European Council, that’s the commission’s job.

Source: The Irish Times April 04, 2019 20:26 UTC