€74k spent on travel for diaspora Minister’s office

Foreign travel costs for the office of the Minister for the Diaspora which was set up in July 2014, have amounted to almost €74,000, according to information released under the Freedom of Information Act.

A one-day conference on returning emigrants held in Dingle, Co Kerry, in Minister Jimmy Deenihan’s home county earlier this month got a grant of €50,000.

The accommodation and travel figure of €73,892 represents flights and accommodation for Mr Jimmy Deenihan and officers from the Department of the Taoiseach and the Department of Foreign Affairs who travelled abroad with him in his role as Minister for Diaspora Affairs, according to the information.