Fine Gael has criticised Health Minister Mary Harney for not being in the Dáil for a debate on health policy.
The party's spokesperson on health, James Reilly, said he found it extraordinary that the minister was not in the country while issues of life and death are being debated.
Ms Harney is on a week-long visit to the United States, where she is travelling to Arizona, Texas and Washington DC for discussions on cancer care and dentistry.
Her spokesman has confirmed that she also attended the Super Bowl in Arizona on Sunday after being invited in a personal capacity.
The spokesman also pointed out that the trip had been organised months in advance and that the Fine Gael motion being debated tonight and tomorrow was only submitted on Friday, the day the Minister travelled to the US.
Fine Gael's Alan Shatter said it was regrettable that Minister Harney was not there for the debate and asked for confirmation that her absence was due to going to the Super Bowl.
Junior Health Minister Jimmy Devins said Ms Harney was on a long-standing visit to America that was organised by the Department some months ago, and described Deputy Shatter's implication as 'quite disgusting'.
The motion is critical of Government policy on mental health and on cystic fibrosis.
