€35,000 for McDowell’s Patrick’s Day flights

THE cost of flights for Justice Minister Michael McDowell’s junket to Argentina for St Patrick’s Day celebrations amounted to more than €35,000.

Mr McDowell confirmed this week that the total cost of the scheduled business flights for the seven-person party who travelled to Buenos Aires for the six-day trip in March came to €35,147, or €5,021 per person.

The figures relating to other expenses incurred on the trip to South America, including accommodation, are not yet to hand, according to the minister, but will likely push the overall cost to well over €40,000.