Mystery surrounds an annual trip to Florida by members of Dublin Port Company as the asset-rich, state-owned private company refuses to supply information about it. Nor is it compelled to, being exempt from Freedom of Information legislation.

Port chairman and Bertie Ahern's dig-out donor, Joe Burke, who was restricted as a company director by the High Court last Monday following the liquidation of his building company, instituted the port bosses' trips to Miami after assuming the reins in April 2002.

The first trip was made in February 2003 by 11 people: four company directors, including Burke and at least two city councillors on the board, two executives and five of their spouses. Their destination was the annual Cruise Shipping Miami Convention.

The Sunday Tribune has been informed by a normally reliable source that the delegation flew first class with British Airways from London to Miami on that occasion, despite having initially booked economy airline tickets. Their accommodation in Miami was the Fontainebleu Hilton Hotel. The visit lasted eight days, during which the party took a four-day cruise to the Bahamian capital, Nassau.

It has proved impossible, however – in the week the Taoiseach warned his ministers to examine the expenses run up by agencies under their remit – to establish these details as facts.

In reply to an enquiry from the Sunday Tribune, Dublin Port Company's public relations manager, Brenda Daly, said: "As part of its ongoing business development some members of Dublin Port Company undertake foreign travel and any such travel and subsistence is undertaken and paid for in accordance with state guidelines applicable to such bodies."

Dublin Port Company, unlike its neighbour the Dublin Docklands Development Authority, is not subject to the Freedom of Information Act as it is not a "public body" according to the legislation's definition. It was incorporated as a private, limited liability company in 1997 and its sole shareholder is the minister for transport, Noel Dempsey.

When this newspaper sought the information from the Department of Transport that is being withheld by the company, the response was that the "questions should be addressed to Dublin Port Company."

According to its 2007 annual report, it has a turnover of €70.45m and owns development land valued at €1.246bn. The 12 directors' fees and emoluments for the year are put at €448,000. The company has also declined to give a breakdown of these payments.

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