Ireland's ambassador to the United States has written to the New York Times to complain about "insensitive and inaccurate" language in its reports on the Berkeley disaster.

Anne Anderson says an article in the newspaper has caused "deep offence" by suggesting that the behaviour of the students was a factor in the collapse of the balcony.

She also denied that the J1 visa programme was "a source of embarrassment for Ireland", and that incidents of anti-social behaviour are "wholly unrepresentative" of the majority of Irish visitors.

The Equality Minister has described an apology by the New York Times for the article as 'pathetic'.

Earlier Aodhain O'Riordain called for the newspaper to apologise for running an article claiming the actions of Irish J1 students are 'a source of embarrassment for Ireland'.

In a statement this evening the New York Times agreed the language used was insensitive and it says it was never its intention to blame the victims.

But the Junior Minister has tweeted this evening to say it's a pathetic attempt at an apology.

Minister O'Riordain says he doesn't want to take the matter further and that it is now time to focus on the bereaved.

.@nytimes Your attempt at an apology for your offensive #Berkeley article is pathetic. It's clearly futile appealing to your better nature.

— Aodhán Ó Ríordáin TD (@AodhanORiordain) June 17, 2015

The controvercial article in the New York Times today claimed the J1 visa programme has become "a source of embarrassment for Ireland".

It recalled  how other Irish J1 students were been involved in damaging property, and says the party the Irish students were attending in Berkeley had disrupted the sleep of others nearby.