Report finds NUIG fundraising charity spent almost €80k on taxis and flights over three years

A charity set up to raise funds for NUI Galway spent more than €30,000 on 102 taxi trips over a three-year period.

The Galway University Foundation also spent more than €48,000 on business class flights between 2015 and 2017.

Other expenses include four and five star hotels in cities such as New York, Singapore, Beijing and Toronto - with the accommodation costing on average €385 each night.

The Charities Regulatory Authority launched an investigation due to concerns about the use of funds for travel and hospitality.

The inspector who compiled the report on the charity was unable to find out the purpose of the trips, many of which were between Galway and Dublin.