Cullen faces fresh questions over Malaysia trip

Transport Minister Martin Cullen is facing questions over a trip he took with three advisors to a Malaysian island in February 2003.

The former Environment Minister made the stop at the island resort of Langkawi during an official visit to Malaysia and met with members of the Malaysian Nature Society.

He was accompanied by the Irish ambassador, his press officer and Monica Leech.

It was part of a visit to a Biological Diversity Convention in the Malaysian capital Kuala Lumpur which cost almost €38,000.

A spokesperson for the Department of the Environment could not specify how much the Langkawi trip cost the taxpayer, nor could they immediately name the representatives met by the Irish delegation.

The trip was one of eight foreign excursions Minister Cullen made with Monica Leech which were looked at in an investigation by former Revenue boss Dermot Quigley into how she was awarded a €300,000 PR contract with the Department of the Environment.

Minister Cullen was exonerated of wrongdoing in the investigation.

However, the Minister is still waiting to hear if the awarding of the contracts will be investigated by the Standards in Public Office Commission.

A spokeksperson for the Standards in Public Office said yesterday it was seeking more legal advice before deciding whether to launch its own investigation.