Sculptures, harps, and royal entertainment among Foreign Affairs costs in 2020
Britain's Prince William and Kate Middleton greet children at Salthill GAA centre. It cost the Department of Foreign Affairs some €17,541 in 'state entertainment' for the royal visit. Picture: Ray Ryan
A €17,650 sculpture, a €13,970 bill for decorative harps outside Irish embassies, and €17,541 in catering for Prince William and Kate Middleton were among the costs incurred in keeping the country’s Department of Foreign Affairs running last year.
The department also forked out €13,274 for catering during a visit to Ireland by the president of Greece as well as €28,000 to a company that specialises in the management of confidential concerns about workplace wrongdoings.
Some €17,650 was paid to One Off Design for the “design, creation, transportation, and installation” of a sculpture called Oak by the artist Fergus Martin.
The artwork – made up of two benches, one carved with the Salmon of Knowledge – has been installed at the International Criminal Court in the Netherlands and was formally unveiled earlier this month.
The department said countries who are party to the ICC’s founding statute were all invited to donate a piece of artwork for their new premises in The Hague.
A spokesman said: “This suitable piece of Irish artwork, prominently displayed, serves to enhance Ireland’s visibility in this prestigious location and is a concrete representation of Ireland’s commitment to international peace, justice, and the rule of law.”
The department also paid out €13,790 to Shane Holland Design for what are known as “escutcheons” – the harps that adorn Irish diplomatic buildings.
The funds were for the purchase of 17 new escutcheons and the repair and refurbishment of three others, it said.
A further €28,000 was paid to Raise a Concern Ltd by the department for what was described as “professional services” for the Corporate Services Division, according to records released under FOI.
The company’s website says: “We provide a safe, secure, confidential and impartial service for raising concerns about workplace wrongdoing."
The department said two payments totalling more than €30,000 were made to Brambles for “state entertainment” to cover catering for two official visits last year, including the president of Greece and the visit to Ireland of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.
Some €291,106 was spent on on new vehicles last year for ambassadors and embassies.
Rental bills for residences around the world remained high in 2020, with an average of €49,283 paid out monthly for a house in Tokyo and €241,133 for the Consulate General in New York's lodgings.
A further €427,332 was paid for a property in New Delhi.
Rented residences saw €3.64m spent on major maintenance, including one project that cost just over €400,000.
Another €6.7m was paid out for “major maintenance” on department-owned properties, the figures showed.
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