John Bruton, head of Ireland's International Financial Services Centre, led the delegation of financial and central bank officials on a week-long visit to Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates, he told Reuters on Friday.

An English-language newspaper in Abu Dhabi, The National, cited a UAE sovereign wealth fund executive as saying Irish officials were sounding out Gulf sovereign wealth funds to gauge interest in the country's banks, which have to restructure as part of an 85 billion euro EU/IMF bailout.

Bruton said the purpose of the trip was to attract financial services into Dublin, a key center for funds administration in Europe, rather than to promote the sale of Ireland's banks.

"I was there exclusively to promote international financial services out of Ireland (in) that part of the world. If you go to countries like that, they'll ask you all sorts of questions on budgetary situations ... including this one on assets," Bruton said from Frankfurt on his way back to Ireland.

"That was not my purpose in going there, but while I was meeting various people who are in demand of assets, we briefed them generally on the overall Irish assets available, on assets available in NAMA (National Asset Management Agency), and in banks and otherwise."

He said he was not representing the government in an official capacity.

NAMA is a so-called "bad bank" set up to manage the bank's soured commercial property loans.

Bruton, a former prime minister, said his delegation had met with Gulf central bank governors, heads of businesses, banks and fund managers as well as Prince Alwaleed bin Talal, chairman of Saudi investment firm Kingdom Holding.