The aid worker who was freed after being held by Sudanese rebels for more than three months said she does not regret her criticism of the charity she was working for at the time.
Sharon Commins and Goal colleague Hilda Kawuki were kidnapped while working in Darfur in 2009.
Ms Commins said: "Ultimately, the buck stops with the aid agency."
Now working with Concern, Ms Commins made her comments at the University of Limerick.
Speaking at the seminar on issues in Irish media, she urged young people to forge a career in overseas aid, despite the inherent dangers.
Local media reported that Ms Commins had criticised the media coverage afforded to humanitarian crises, claiming that in the first weeks following a disaster, coverage is plentiful but later becomes scant.
"For the first month after a big event there’s wall-to-wall coverage, but after that then you hear nothing," she said.
"Reporting can be very sensationalist and it’s very hard to get any real depth."
Ms Commins, from Clontarf in Dublin, had previously criticised Goal’s handling of the security arrangements in northern Darfur at the time of her kidnap by rebels.
The two Goal staff were taken by armed gunmen during a raid on their compound and spent 107 days in captivity.
Ms Commins said: "I am glad that I publicly criticised them because I think that security practices in Ireland and further afield have changed. There is a lot more focus on security management of aid agencies.
"I chose not to make those comments until a year after I was released because I wanted to be 100% sure that this is what I think and this is something I want to make public. Thankfully, it was the right decision."
While Ms Commins was in captivity, Goal was involved in efforts to secure her release and that of Ms Kawuki.
However, in Dec 2010, Ms Commins told RTÉ Goal should have been aware of serious security concerns in the area of Darfur where they were working. Goal founder John O’Shea told the same programme it was difficult to guarantee staff safety.
He said: "When you go into a place like Sudan, you have to understand that the Sudanese authorities have taken control of security. I’ve 2,700 employees at the moment. Can I know what’s happening in every village?"
Now working with Concern, Ms Commins made her comments at the University of Limerick.
Speaking at the seminar on issues in Irish media, she urged young people to forge a career in overseas aid, despite the inherent dangers.
Local media reported that Ms Commins had criticised the media coverage afforded to humanitarian crises, claiming that in the first weeks following a disaster, coverage is plentiful but later becomes scant.
"For the first month after a big event there’s wall-to-wall coverage, but after that then you hear nothing," she said.
"Reporting can be very sensationalist and it’s very hard to get any real depth."
Ms Commins, from Clontarf in Dublin, had previously criticised Goal’s handling of the security arrangements in northern Darfur at the time of her kidnap by rebels.
The two Goal staff were taken by armed gunmen during a raid on their compound and spent 107 days in captivity.
Ms Commins said: "I am glad that I publicly criticised them because I think that security practices in Ireland and further afield have changed. There is a lot more focus on security management of aid agencies.
"I chose not to make those comments until a year after I was released because I wanted to be 100% sure that this is what I think and this is something I want to make public. Thankfully, it was the right decision."
While Ms Commins was in captivity, Goal was involved in efforts to secure her release and that of Ms Kawuki.
However, in Dec 2010, Ms Commins told RTÉ Goal should have been aware of serious security concerns in the area of Darfur where they were working. Goal founder John O’Shea told the same programme it was difficult to guarantee staff safety.
He said: "When you go into a place like Sudan, you have to understand that the Sudanese authorities have taken control of security. I’ve 2,700 employees at the moment. Can I know what’s happening in every village?"