The leader of Northern Ireland's Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) referred to MP Ian Paisley Jr's dealings with Sri Lanka while speaking on the party's failings over the past year at conference.
While apologising for a domestic scandal over a green energy scheme, DUP leader Arlene Foster also referred to failings within the DUP ranks in a "number of other areas".
"It is thought Mrs Foster was referring to the behaviour of DUP MP Ian Paisley," the Belfast Telegraph said.
Paisley was suspended from the British parliament for failing to declare two all-expense paid luxury holidays he had accepted from the Sri Lankan government, and also for violating rules on paid advocacy when he lobbied then prime minister David Cameron against pursuing accountability for human rights abuses in Sri Lanka. The DUP also suspended Paisley from the party.
"We must ensure there is no repeat of such behaviour and that those high standards we aspire to ourselves and that others rightly require of us are applicable at every level within this party," Foster said in her speech.
