VSO paid for number of politicians in recent years

Voluntary Service Overseas (VSO) Ireland runs a politicians for development programme which has paid for a number of senators and TDs to travel to Africa in recent years.

The VSO is the largest independent volunteer organisation in the world and has reached millions of people, particularly children in poor countries.

The politicians have worked on projects relating to the charity and, according to its executive director Malcolm Quigley, have been involved in helping to promote and raise the profile of programmes on the ground.