AN IRISH minister has revealed that a proposed peace trip to North Korea will not take place.
Dublin Rathdown TD Shane Ross was tipped to travel to the country with two other independent TDs – John Halligan and Finian McGrath.
Mr Halligan, the Minister of State for Training and Skills, had written to the North Korean embassy in London to request a parliamentary visit from the three Independent Alliance members.
But Mr Ross revealed on RTÉ’s Prime Time tonight that the mission will not go ahead.
“It's off," said Mr Ross, the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport.
"The trip to North Korea, it is not government policy and we are not doing anything which is in breach of government policy.
"This arose when we were in opposition many years ago.
“John, Finian and I spoke regularly about making trips abroad and doing things which were constructive. It was just an idea."
Mr Ross also seemed to be in the dark about Mr Halligan’s letter to the North Korean embassy.
"A letter was probably written,” he said. "I haven't seen that letter actually.
"It never developed to a stage where we were going, I don't think we even mentioned it to [fellow TDs and Independent Alliance members] Sean Canney or Boxer Moran.”
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