The Department of Foreign Affairs has defended its sponsorship of a Dáil fact-finding mission in Zambia, rejecting claims that the trip was a "junket". Joe Humphreys reports.
Mr Conor Lenihan, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, with responsibility for Irish aid programmes, said the trip aimed to raise awareness of the work of Development Co-operation Ireland (DCI), the Government agency formerly known as Ireland Aid.
Five TDs took part on the seven-day trip, which ends today. They visited projects funded by Irish aid, and met government and opposition politicians to discuss the management and financing of the parliament of Zambia, which is one of Ireland's seven "priority countries" for aid.
"There is nothing inherently wrong in raising awareness among Dáil deputies of our foreign aid programme, and that is precisely the purpose of these visits," Mr Lenihan told Newstalk 106.
"I think it is unfortunate that the word 'junket' has entered into the equation. There is no big hospitality scene on these kinds of visits. These are very, very poor countries that people are visiting and members are intensely briefed by our diplomats in Iveagh House in order that they be sensitive to the situation."
The five TDs are: Mr Ollie Wilkinson (FF), Ms Marie Hoctor (FF), Mr Pat Breen (FG), Mr Joe Costello (Lab), and Mr Noel Grealish (PDs). A spokeswoman for the Department said the trip was approved by the OECD's Development Assistance Committee, and funded under DCI's general administration fund. She said no money for the trip came from Zambia's development aid fund.