Señora Ahern hailed down Mexico way

THE Taoiseach was at the centre of an embarrassing diplomatic gaffe in Mexico yesterday when his partner Celia Larkin was officially referred to several times as his wife.

The incident was an inauspicious start to the Taoiseach's four-day trip to the CentralLatin American country.

During a welcoming ceremony in the National Palace in Mexico City, Ms Larkin was referred to four times either as Mrs Larkin or Mr Ahern's wife including twice in the translation of comments by Mexican President Vicente Fox.

But Irish officials insisted the references were merely a translation error from Spanish into English.

Arriving into the courtyard at the palace, the Irish dignitaries were introduced by the official compere as: "Mr Taoiseach Bertie Ahern and his wife Mrs Celia Larkin."

The mistake was repeated three more times as President Fox also addressed Ms Larkin as señora, but officials said this is the term used for any woman over the age of 30 The Taoiseach's spokeswoman said the Mexican officials were fully aware of Ms Larkin's status and that it was just a translation error. President Fox's said the Taoiseach's state visit would strengthen political, cultural and economic links between the two countries and that Mexico had much to learn from the success of the Celtic Tiger.

"We want to learn from the deep-seated economic and technological transformation Ireland has undergone over the last decade which has turned Ireland into an economy of increasing importance in Europe," he said.

The president also paid tribute to the San Patricios, the St Patrick's Brigade of Irish soldiers who fought on the Mexican side against the US in the 1846-48 war.

The Taoiseach said his visit was an important development in the relationship between the two countries and he hoped to build on it. Mexico and Ireland shared many fundamental values, Mr Ahern said.

"We know the value of independence and cherish it greatly," he said. Interaction between the Irish and Mexican governments will increase in the coming months ahead of next year's EU Latin America and Caribbean summit.