Taoiseach’s St Patrick’s Day trip to the US cost taxpayer over €33,500

Figures provided by the Department of an Taoiseach show that the cost to the taxpayer of flying Enda Kenny, his wife Fionnuala, and his staff to the US for St Patrick Day events totalled €33,555.

A spend of €3,602 on return Washington flights for Mr Kenny’s wife to join her husband for his St Patrick’s Day swan song at the White House was part of a €101,000 global travel bill for the national holiday.

It cost the taxpayer €6,842 for Dublin-Philadelphia-Boston-Washington-New York-Dublin flights for Mr Kenny from March 11 to 17. Flights for his private secretary and chief of staff also cost €6,842 each. However, the same flight itinerary for the Taoiseach’s special advisor cost €1,627, while the same flights for the Government press secretary cost the taxpayer €1,587.

The €33,555 spend by the Taoiseach’s department on the St Patrick’s Day events accounted for one-third of the Government’s worldwide travel bill of €101,476.

In a series of Dáil written replies to questions by Sinn Féin’s John Brady, ministers revealed their cumulative St Patrick’s Day travel spend totalled €67,921, and the final bill will be higher with a number of invoices yet to be processed.

Minister for Social Protection Leo Varadkar had the cheapest travel bill at €196, though the overall cost has yet to be finalised. Mr Varadkar undertook a four-day promotional trip to Paris and Cannes.

In his response to Mr Brady he said: “The Department of Foreign Affairs arranged accommodation and internal transport. These costs are not available to me yet but the department will be invoiced for these costs in due course.”

The highest bill incurred was from Minister for State at the Department of Defence, Paul Kehoe. He travelled to Lebanon, Israel, and Palestinian city Ramallah on the West Bank. He confirmed flight and accommodation costs for himself and four officials totalled €17,496, with final costs yet to be determined.

Minister for Public Expenditure Paschal Donohoe is tasked with keeping a tight rein on the spending of his colleagues. His St Patrick’s Day spend was the second highest amongst ministers at €15,724.

Mr Donohoe travelled to Japan for three days and South Korea for three days with his private secretary and special adviser. His own flight and accommodation bill made up €7,344 of the total.

Minister for Children and Youth Affairs Katherine Zappone had the third highest travel bill with her trip to Boston costing €5,833 for herself and her private secretary with the overall bill yet to be finalised.