The leader of the Seanad, Ms Mary O'Rourke, has disclosed that she refused to attend a recent dinner in the US embassy to mark the visit of President Bush because of her opposition to the war in Iraq.
Ms O'Rourke said last night that she had refused the invitation from the US ambassador, Mr James Kenny, on a point of principle.
The dinner was presented as an opportunity to discuss the agenda of President Bush during his visit to Ireland this weekend for an EU-US summit.
To attend would be hypocritical, she said.
"I have no animosity for the US but I have animosity for the president who pushed through the war policy in the absence of a UN mandate."
Ms O'Rourke said in the Seanad earlier yesterday that people had a legitimate right to express "displeasure or distaste" at Mr Bush's visit if they wished. "Nobody denies we have an affinity with the United States but that is a different matter from having an affinity with the president," she told the House.
She also linked her refusal to attend with her opposition to the internment of terrorism suspects at Guantanamo Bay.
"I put my money where my mouth is last week when I was invited to dinner at the American embassy. I turned down the invitation on the basis that I cannot object here to events in Guantanamo Bay and then go to dinner in the home of the American ambassador."
Ms O'Rourke said she knew of another person who "complained in another place" about the same matters but accepted the dinner invitation. She did not identify the individual concerned.
A spokesman for the PDs said that former minister of state, Ms Liz O'Donnell, told the embassy she was unable to attend the same dinner after she received an invitation at short notice. Ms O'Donnell's unavailability had nothing to do her opposition to the war, he said, adding that she was part of an Oireachtas delegation which will meet in Ireland next week with the delegation from the US Congress.
A spokeswoman for the US embassy declined to comment.
