‘Are you listening minister?’

AFTER taking a tentative step onto union turf for the second day running and reaching the podium intact, Mary Coughlan was getting used to facing down crowds seething with rage.

A full 24-hours after surviving placard-waving INTO fury, the country’s second-in-command was welcomed with an eerie silence by the TUI.

After leaving the safe confines of the nearby Boru’s Porterhouse, where she was informed of the likely welcome awaiting her, Ms Coughlan stepped into the echoing hall where 450 TUI delegates were discussing, of all things, cutbacks.