Formula One team owner Eddie Jordan yesterday defended his role as a tourism sporting ambassador, following a report in The Irish Times that two Government departments had clashed over his links with the tobacco industry.
Mr Jordan was recruited to promote Ireland by the Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation, Dr McDaid. He is being paid £100,000. The Department of Health sent a letter to Dr McDaid's department to protest at the appointment. Officials said their attempts to reduce smoking would be damaged because the Jordan team was "heavily dependent" on tobacco sponsorship.
"We feel that this app ointment will be seen as a victory by the industry and is likely to be strongly criticised by the anti-smoking groups," said the letter. However, Mr Jordan claimed the criticism was "hypocritical". He said on RTE Radio yesterday: "I can understand the concern but I do not see any merit in it whatsoever. I'm Irish, I'm enormously proud to be Irish. The team is sponsored by a tobacco company but I cannot possibly see where the connection is apart from maybe Eddie Jordan and the Jordan company is the same thing - and clearly it is not." E radio yesterday.
Dr McDaid also defended the appointment. "It is one of the best appointments I have ever made. Eddie Jordan's enthusiasm for being Irish is well-known. He is a hugely, immensely, popular man."
Defending the payment of £100,000 to Mr Jordan, the Minister said he had a worldwide profile. "It is probably one of the best price tags you could possibly get for profiling this country throughout the world."
He also disputed any links with tobacco sponsorship. "I am taking on Eddie Jordan as an individual for his Irishness, as an ambassador for this country in the sport. This is a high-profile sport. I can use him and this country can use him in a manner which will only benefit this country.
"The tobacco issue is only a side issue - this is about an Irishman."
--(Additional reporting by PA)