FORMER US president Bill Clinton travelled to the Republic for the Global Irish Economic Forum last weekend as a guest of Denis O’Brien on the billionaire’s private jet.
Mr Clinton flew into the country from the US on Mr O’Brien’s Gulfstream 550 M-YBJK on Saturday and left again on the jet after 36 hours in Dublin, according to sources.
The Department of Foreign Affairs, which organised the event, said it had nothing to do with Mr Clinton’s itinerary, which was privately arranged. As is the case with all former US presidents, he was accompanied by a team of security personnel and the embassy in Dublin was apprised of his travel arrangements.
During his short stay in the Republic, Mr Clinton played golf at Royal Dublin, stayed in the Shelbourne Hotel and dined at the Unicorn Restaurant after making a well-received address at the forum in Dublin Castle.
While in Dublin, the retired politician also announced the launch of Haiti Week, an Irish-led fundraising effort on behalf of the Caribbean country which was devastated by an earthquake which killed more than 230,000 people last year. Mr O’Brien, through his Digicel Foundation, is prominent in funding reconstruction in Haiti. Earlier this year, Mr Clinton reopened the Iron Market in Haiti’s capital, Port-au-Prince, after a $12 million (€9 million)restoration funded by the telecoms billionaire.
Mr O’Brien’s participation in the forum was the subject of controversy after his former Esat chief executive Barry Maloney wrote to the Taoiseach and Tánaiste saying he would not attend because Mr O’Brien would be present.
Mr O’Brien was the subject of severe criticisms in the Moriarty tribunal report published this year. The inquiry also heard sharply divergent evidence from Mr O’Brien and Mr Maloney.
Sources said the decision to invite Mr O’Brien to the forum was made by the Government. Taoiseach Enda Kenny was the official host for the event, which was attended by more than 300 leading figures from business and the arts.
Mr O’Brien has on previous occasions provided his jet for use by charities working in Haiti. Earlier this year, the chief executive of the Labour Relations Commission and the chairman of the Irish Sports Council, Kieran Mulvey, flew to the Special Olympics in Athens on the jet at the invitation of the billionaire.
The Department of Foreign Affairs said participants took care of their own travel arrangements but were offered free hotel accommodation for three nights. About half took up the offer of accommodation in the D4 Hotel owned by developer Sean Dunne or the Burlington, while the rest paid for their own arrangements.
The department said no speaking fees were paid to Mr Clinton or any other contributors.
The event is expected to cost about €330,000, about the same as the inaugural forum.