Cullen defends decision to attend Olympic opening ceremony

The Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism, Martin Cullen, has defended his decision to attend the opening of the Beijing Olympics.

Yesterday, John O'Shea from the charity GOAL said the Government will be showing an appalling lack of moral fibre by attending the event.

Mr O’Shea is critical of the Chinese government's human rights record.

However, speaking in Waterford today, Minister Cullen defended the decision to attend the opening ceremony: “We looked at what all our European colleagues are doing and all of them are participating fully in the opening ceremony and for the entire Olympics and Ireland has a right to be there as well.”