When I asked Dermot Ahern a fortnight ago whether he thought there was any chance that, given the new dispensation, the Irish Republic might rejoin the Commonwealth, he appeared distinctly reluctant to follow the lead given some years ago by his party colleague Eamon O'Cuiv. Not deterred, the Labour backbencher Andrew Mackinlay today devoted a Westminster Hall debate to the notion that the UK should invite the Republic to join. Answering for the government, the Foreign Minister Jim Murphy said it wasn't up to the UK to extend an invitation, but there wasn't anything to stop Dublin applying.
After all the build up to Edwin Poots' grilling by the Stormont Culture Committee, the Sports Minister emerged from today's encounter looking unperturbed. The meeting in the Senate chamber concentrated on the ever controversial proposal for a multi-sports stadium at the Maze.
When the special hearing was arranged the focus had all been on the pressures within the DUP over an "IRA shrine" at the Maze. These pressures had, apparently, led to the redrafting of a statement on the project by Mr Poots, toning down his advocacy of the Maze site.
The Ulster Unionist David McNarry wanted to know who was running the Culture Department, Mr Poots or his senior colleagues in the DUP. But the question was raised alongside a host of others, enabling the minister to simply avoid supplying the Committee with an answer. Later the question of an "IRA shrine" was raised - Mr Poots insisted no unionist would contemplate it, and there the matter rested.
With nothing much new either on internal DUP affairs or IRA shrines, the meat of the hearing concerned sport and business. The minister expressed "horror" at the thought of Northern Ireland having to play their international football matches overseas because of the continuing problems at Windsor Park. And he revealed that the GAA has ruled out any of the Belfast options.
As Mr Poots' evidence continued, the position of the IFA Chief Executive Howard Wells came under greater scrutiny as documents showed that Mr Wells had a personal preference for the Maze, although the IFA was keeping an open mind about venues. That annoyed the anti-Maze NI Football Supporters.
Whether by chance or design the focus seemed to slip from Mr Poots to Mr Wells. In a letter read out to the Committee Mr Wells said it was "unlikely that any Belfast driven initiative will sit well with the concept of a shared future".
The IFA is exploring the options of playing NI internationals in Scotland or England (but not, it seems, the Republic).
Perhaps they should try Hong Kong where David Healy made his debut for Fulham against Portsmouth. The stadium looked fine but the NI players looked overcome by the heat, and NI's leading goal scorer couldn't find the net to overturn Pompey's one goal lead. So maybe forget Hong Kong and stick to Craven Cottage, given that half the side is already there.
I'm 
