Department spends €67,000 on art and furnishings for Ireland’s consulate general in San Francisco

The department said the bill included the decoration of a space that is used for functions and other events in the city. File photo

The Department of Foreign Affairs spent almost €67,000 on furniture and art for the official accommodation for Ireland’s consulate general in San Francisco.

The bill was run up to decorate the home and reception areas of the California property with purchases including more than €2,000 for a porcelain blue hand-tufted rug, more than €4,200 for a Chesterfield couch, and artworks that cost nearly €24,000.

The department said the bill included the decoration of a space that is used for functions and other events in the city.

Nearly €25,000 was spent at Pottery Barn according to invoices that were released, which included US$1,199 for a coffee table, $3,448 for two hand-tufted rugs, and $2,699 for an extendable dining table. Other items on the bill were $1,899 for a console table, $1,199 for a dining bench, and $4,399 for a Chesterfield leather sofa.

The department also ran up a substantial bill of almost €16,000 at the upscale Restoration Hardware, though it was able to take advantage of heavy discounts. On the bill of $17,180, there were discounts of $19,985 as items bought were going out of stock.

Purchases on that invoice included $120 outdoor cushions, lounge chairs costing $1,065, and bar stools at a half price of $530.

The bill for art for the official residence included around €9,300 for two paintings by the award-winning artist Neal Greig. A work called Claddaghmore Donegal was priced at €4,000 while one called Glenveagh cost €4,500; another €780 was spent on shipping and crates.

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Two paintings were also bought from the Irish American artist Riley Waite at a cost of $5,600, according to the invoices. A further three paintings by Mr Waite were shipped from the Chimera Gallery in Co Westmeath with a bill of €5,250.

Not all the items purchased for the residence were quite so pricey with €385 spent at Costco for doormats and other items.

A spokeswoman for the Department of Foreign Affairs said: “The San Francisco Official accommodation serves as [a] representational and events space for consulate events and is also the residence for the Consul General.

“The costs incurred primarily relate to the fitting out of the event space for use for functions and events. This included dining furniture, seating and soft furnishings as well as showcasing Irish art within the reception areas.”