Mairéad Farrell (Galway West, Sinn Fein)
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3. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will report on his visit to the Bilderberg conference in Washington DC in April 2026; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40659/26]

Jack Chambers (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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I thank Deputy Farrell. The annual Bilderberg conference is a forum to foster dialogue between Europe and North America on major issues facing the world, with attendees from industry, finance, government, academia and the media. The meeting was first held in 1954 and has been regularly attended by Irish Government Ministers on many occasions in recent years.

I was invited and attended this year’s event, held in April 2026, in my capacity as Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation. This year’s meeting was held in Washington DC and the agenda included a variety of topics such as AI, Arctic security, digital finance, energy diversification, Europe, global trade and the Middle East. While in Washington I also met the US Chamber of Commerce. Both engagements and events provide an important opportunity to engage with the international political and business community on Ireland’s foreign direct investment potential. IDA Ireland reported that in 2025 a record 323 investments, which was a 38% increase over 2024, were achieved and this is expected to create over 15,300 new jobs. Total employment in IDA-supported firms reached a new high of over 312,400 people last year. This underscores the economic value of FDI and engagement with the international community.

There is additional information about the event on the official Bilderberg website, which includes information on the organisation’s history, governance, steering committee, meetings, agendas, attendees and press releases.

Mairéad Farrell (Galway West, Sinn Fein)
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The issue here is that in the spirit of the Bilderberg conference, which is a secretive conference, the Minister has not given me a full breakdown of exactly what he did and what he was discussing. It is only through a freedom of information request we have an insight into what he got up to. We also need to see it in the context of the time. When fuel protestors were out on the streets demanding the Minister's Government intervene just so they could make ends meet he was in Washington DC spending $760 a night of taxpayers' money on a luxury five-star hotel. While working families up and down the State were unable to afford to fill their tanks with fuel he was spending money on business class flights to the tune of thousands of euro and in total the trip cost the taxpayer €6,800. During a cost-of-living crisis why on Earth should taxpayers fund that type of trip while still not being aware of exactly what was being discussed?

Jack Chambers (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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The Deputy and her party fully understand, in the context of the party's participation in the Executive in the North, the importance of international engagement, foreign direct investment and engagement with the business community. As I said, the role in the context of the attendance at Bilderberg and meeting the US Chamber of Commerce is always to promote Ireland, to engage with many people who invest here and also political leaders in Europe and elsewhere. It is important, as an open, trading economy that we do that. I fully participated in the Cabinet meeting held on Sunday which obviously had advanced the discussions relating to our response and the important interventions we made. The Deputy's approach here, in undermining international engagement, is not fair.

Mairéad Farrell (Galway West, Sinn Fein)
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I did not ask the Minister about his discussions with the US Chamber of Commerce. I asked him specifically about the Bilderberg conference. The focus on militarisation was absolutely clear from the agenda, which included discussions on the transatlantic defence industrial relationship, the Middle East and the future of warfare. As he is the Minister for public expenditure I find it concerning he would foster a close relationship with bosses of military companies, which is not in our national interest. I am concerned about the threat to our neutrality from this Government. The Minister will know there are no minutes or media coverage recording what was discussed in these sessions, so I would like to know what was discussed. The public paid nearly €7,000 for this trip and we have a right to know exactly what sessions the Minister attended, who he met and what he discussed.

Jack Chambers (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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All the attendees at the conference are published on the Bilderberg website, as is the specific agenda across many topics. As I have said it was AI, Arctic security, digital finance, energy diversification, Europe, global trade and the Middle East. It is attended by public representatives - members of government - from parts of Europe and the US, industry leaders and also by members of the media. The wider organisation's meeting agenda, respective press releases and what is discussed are set out. It has been attended by many members of Irish Governments in the past. As I said, it is important, as an open, trading economy that we engage with business leaders and members of government from across the world. It provides an important forum to do that.