An Irish junior minister has defended his attendance at the state funeral of Everest conqueror Sir Edmund Hillary.
Minister of State for Innovation Policy Michael Ahern said he travelled to Auckland last Saturday at the invitation of the New Zealand government and insisted the cost for the week-long trip was being met by New Zealand's taxpayers
Edmund Hillary
"We were one of only six countries that have been invited . . . to send a representative to the state funeral," he said in a statement today. The other five were the United Kingdom, the United States, Australia, India and Nepal.
"The New Zealand Government has covered all expenses in relation to this," Mr Ahern added.
Mr Ahern's office said he will hold talks with New Zealand's Minister for Economic Development and meet members of the Irish business community during the week-long trip. He is being accompanied by his wife and an official from the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment.
They are due back in Ireland at the weekend.
A Department spokesman said Mr Ahern issued the statement to clarify the issue following "a number of queries" about who was paying for the trip.
Sir Edmund died of a heart attack on January 11th at the age of 88. He and Sherpa Tenzing Norgay made history on May 29th, 1953, by becoming the first people to set foot on the summit of Mount Everest.
About 500 New Zealand and international dignitaries attended his State funeral in Auckland today.
Sir Edmund had an Irish grandmother and visited Ireland in 2002, opening an exhibition in Tralee dedicated to Irish polar adventurer Tom Crean. He also met the Irish Everest Expedition at base camp in 2004.
Last week President Mary McAleese paid tribute to the explorer, describing him as a "true inspiration to others, an outstanding example of leadership and courage".
Beyond Endurance, the successful Irish South Pole expedition team led by Pat Falvey, sent their condolences to the "icon of adventure".
A remembrance service is being held for Sir Edmund in St Ann's Church, Dawson Street, Dublin, tonight. The interdenominational ceremony is being jointly organised by the New Zealand Ireland Association and the Nepalese Society of Ireland. A book of condolence has been opened at the church.
The event will be attended by members of Beyond Endurance, the Tom Crean Society and the Mountaineering Council of Ireland, as well as members of the New Zealand and Nepalese communities in Ireland.
