The former Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr David Andrews, represented the Government at a number of high-profile events in Los Angeles during the St Patrick's weekend celebrations there. He was accompanied by his wife for the four-day visit, and the cost was £12,218.04, the Minister of State Ms Liz O'Donnell said.
She was replying to a question from the Fine Gael leader, Mr Michael Noonan, who asked why Mr Andrews had represented the Government. His party colleague, Mr Jim O'Keeffe, asked why a backbencher was funded to travel abroad to represent the Government in this way. Ms O'Donnell said as a former Minister for Foreign Affairs, the Government felt it was appropriate he represent Ireland "in a city of the importance of Los Angeles".
She agreed with Mr Michael D. Higgins (Lab, Galway West) that it was preferable that "the best possible representation of Ireland" was made by using former ministers with a distinguished service record than to have no representation.
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