IAN Paisley accepted an invite to a taxpayer-funded tourism gala despite being unable to attend because of hosting a DUP fundraiser, newly released correspondence says.
The DUP MP did not send his apologies to organisers of the Tourism NI dinner, which marked the build-up to The 148th Open golf tournament at Royal Portrush.
He was on the guest list but his seat remained empty because on the same night he was hosting a party fundraiser in Ballymena featuring Tory Brexiteer Jacob Rees-Mogg.
The DUP and Tourism NI at the time would not say why Mr Paisley was on the guest list given the dates clash, and whether he had notified organisers of being unable to attend.
But a Freedom of Information response to The Irish News has shed some light on the matter.
The cost of the January event at Titanic Belfast by Tourism NI, a publicly-funded body, was £67,214 which included £45 per person for dinner.
Mr Paisley was sent a 'save the date' invite on December 11. Tourism NI said it received a response on December 14 which "indicated Mr Paisley's intention to attend the event". A formal invite was then sent on January 10.
Asked for the date any apology was received for being unable to attend and for a copy of this correspondence, Tourism NI said it had no record of any such correspondence.
Tourism NI said 680 people were invited to the event, and 311 attended. They included motorcycle racer Jonathan Rea and DUP leader Arlene Foster.
On the same night, around 400 guests gathered in the Tullyglass Hotel for a DUP fundraiser hosted by Mr Paisley and fellow party MPs Sammy Wilson and Paul Girvan.
The guests included Brexit-backing businessman Arron Banks, loyalist blogger Jamie Bryson, anti-abortion campaigner Bernie Smyth and Daniel McArthur from Ashers bakery.
Speaking to reporters, Mr Rees-Mogg dismissed concerns on whether he should attend given Mr Paisley's parliamentary suspension last year.
In July Mr Paisley received an unprecedented 30-day suspension from the House of Commons after failing to declare two luxury family holidays to Sri Lanka in 2013 paid for by its government, for which he later lobbied.
The North Antrim MP is also facing a potential parliamentary probe over a holiday in the Maldives, and was criticised earlier this year for billing a peace charity for a luxury flight to New York to speak at a conference.
Mr Rees-Mogg told The Irish News: "His constituents had the opportunity to have a recall vote and they decided not to use it.
"He is the democratically elected member of parliament for this constituency, he belongs to a party supporting the Conservatives and maintaining the Conservative government. No, I'm delighted to be here."
During the event, Mr Paisley praised Mr Wilson for "keeping people's toes to the fire" on the UK's exit from the European Union.
The dinner is among several DUP events featuring senior Conservatives held since the parties forged their confidence-and-supply deal at Westminster.
In February, Mr Paisley's wife Fiona Paisley hit out at The Irish News for coverage of her husband's absence from the Tourism NI event, describing it as a "pathetic non-news story".
The DUP did not respond to requests for a comment.
