The organiser of Fine Gael's Christmas party has said he is "flabbergasted" at the reaction to the playing of republican ballads at the event and stressed that the party leadership had no prior knowledge of what was to be played.
Mr John Perry TD said yesterday he had hired the band, Sons of Erin, to make a guest appearance at the function in Dublin's Shelbourne Hotel on Wednesday night.
The group, headed by Wolfe Tones member Derek Warfield, played several republican songs.
The songs included Celtic Symphony which incorporates a raucous chant of "ooh, ah, up the 'RA'." A Nation Once Again and some other songs surprised many of the several hundred who attended. Mr Perry stressed that he had sole responsibility for choosing the entertainment and that the party leadership had no input into the decision or awareness of who was playing.
According to Mr Perry, he went to Mr Warfield during the performance and "brought to his attention" that some of those present found these songs unsuitable.
The attendance included the party leader Mr Enda Kenny, members of the front bench, many TDs and senators, the party's Oireachtas staff and party members. He said the band finished playing as Mr Kenny arrived.
The main musical entertainment was provided by another group, Back to Back, who played songs from the 50s, 60s and 70s, he said.
Mr Perry, a Sligo/Leitrim TD, said he knew Sons of Erin as they had performed at his hotel in Ballymote, Co Sligo.
He also knew Mr Warfield as they were both involved in fundraising for the erection of a monument in Sligo to Brig Michael Corcoran, leader of the Irish 69th Regiment of the US Army in the 19th Century, known as "the Fighting Irish".
He knew the band sang "traditional ballads" but had not been expecting them to sing the songs that had caused offence. "I would not condone it any way," he said.