Lenihan urged to apologise for 'insult' to NGOs

OPPOSITION parties and aid agencies yesterday called on Junior Foreign Affairs Minister Conor Lenihan to apologise for suggesting aid agencies use substantial portions of their budgets for lobbying activities.

Mr Lenihan made the remarks in a radio debate on RTÉ yesterday over the Estimates provision for overseas development aid (ODA).

In defending the increases announced by Brian Cowen, Mr Lenihan claimed some non-government organisations (NGOs) that benefit from funding are "spending absolutely a lot of money on advocacy".