Despite hiring 300 extra civil servants as Ireland took over the presidency of the EU, Taoiseach Micheál Martin was left lost without translation as he welcomed German chancellor Friedrich Merz to Dublin on Tuesday. As Merz began to address reporters outside Farmleigh House, the Taoiseach adopted a quizzical look. Although Martin had been given a headset, it appeared that no one had bothered to check if the thing was actually working, leaving the Taoiseach without a translation. Members of the media outside Farmleigh House for the press conference by Taoiseach Micheál Martin and German chancellor Friedrich Merz. Basics like having working headsets to allow the Taoiseach, his officials, and journalists to understand what was being said.