Diageo sponsored Linehan’s match-day hospitality

JUNIOR Minister Conor Lenihan attended Sunday’s historic rugby match at Croke Park for free after accepting corporate hospitality from drinks company Diageo.

This is despite the fact that politicians have been warned by an independent watchdog to avoid taking such gifts.

It also comes at a time when there is growing concern about the alcohol industry’s sponsorship of sporting events.

Mr Lenihan, who is responsible for overseas development aid, told RTE Radio on Monday night that he had attended the match, but did not sit in the Ard Comhairle section of the stadium, which is where dignitaries such as the President and Taoiseach are seated.

“I wasn’t [in the Ard Comhairle] on this occasion,” Mr Lenihan said. “I was the subject of corporate hospitality for a change.”

Asked whom had provided the hospitality, he replied: “I think it was Diageo.”

A spokeswoman for Diageo, which manufactures Guinness, yesterday confirmed that Mr Lenihan had been a guest of the company at the match.

“Minister Lenihan was there on invitation of a director of Diageo who he’s known as a personal friend for over 20 years, and that was the capacity [in which] he was invited,” the spokeswoman said.

She stressed that no other politicians had been invited by Diageo.

Transparency Ireland — the Irish arm of Transparency International, a non-governmental organisation devoted to combating corruption in public and corporate life — has repeatedly said politicians should reject offers by companies of free tickets and hospitality at such events.

A number of other ministers attended Sunday’s match but purchased their own tickets.

They included Enterprise Minister, Micheal Martin; Transport Minister, Martin Cullen; and Communications Minister Noel Dempsey.