Ministers must approve trip costs

GOVERNMENT ministers will have to agree to all foreign travel expenses arranged on their behalf before they leave the country under new rules removing the excuse that they were not responsible for lavish spending while abroad.

Irish embassies have been instructed that arrangements made for visiting ministers including chauffeurs, hotels, restaurants and entertainment must be cleared and signed off by the relevant ministers before he or she leaves the country.

Mary Harney and Noel Dempsey have joined the queue of Government ministers attempting to defend their lavish expenses claims with fresh revelations of their spending abroad.