The Minister of State for Enterprise and Employment has defended the allocation of £6 million of Lottery funds for Ireland's participation in Expo 2000, the world fair in Hanover, Germany, in two years.
Mr Tom Kitt, who has responsibility for international trade, said the fact that the lottery funds were being used was simply in line with what was done at Expo '92 in Seville, Spain.
The Minister said that in the Seville exposition there was a strong cultural programme, including Riverdance, and culture would be a strong element of Expo 2000.
He said on RTE radio's News at One: "Quite frankly there is nothing new about this".
National Lottery funds were originally intended to be spent on youth, sport, culture and the arts but can, under legislation, be spent on other business, and are used in general Exchequer spending.
Expo 2000 was not a trade fair, he said. Asked by the RTE presenter, Sean O'Rourke, if the private sector would be putting up £6 million towards the exposition, the Minister replied that it had always been difficult to get the private sector involved, but he did not rule it out. He hoped it would be involved.
The exposition is a trade and cultural event every two years at which countries around the world advertise their wares and their culture.
It lasts a number of months and is currently under way in Lisbon, Portugal. Ireland is not at this year's event, one of only a few countries not represented at the fair.
The State cited lack of funds for its decision not to participate when the event was being planned some time ago.
The Minister said there would be up to 40 million consumers at Expo 2000 and this would be good for "Ireland Ltd" and for Ireland's international image as a modern, sophisticated country.
The IDA chief executive, Mr Kieran McGowan, has accepted a request from the Tanaiste, Ms Harney, to be Ireland's commissioner general for Expo 2000. Mr McGowan is due to step down from his IDA position in December.