Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)

I make the point again to Deputy Ó Caoláin that the Minister for Transport had to make that attendance and be in London the next morning. I have not the detail before me, but that was the basis of the matter. It was not a question of simply going to Glenties. Rather, it was a question of doing Glenties and being in London the following morning. He was therefore seeking to attend two functions, one after the other and he had to ensure he reached London by a certain time. Those are the circumstances.

As regards the use of the PSNI, regardless of the ministerial mode of transport going into the Northern Ireland jurisdiction, PSNI security clearance is required. Those are the circumstances in which that occurred.

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