Massive mission to US racked up costs of almost €144,000
THE Taoiseach, seven ministers and a small army of advisors travelled to the United States at a cost of almost €144,000, the Sunday Independent can reveal.
A third of the Cabinet jetted off to New York in September for United Nations meetings and a major push to land a seat on the organisation’s Security Council.
Meanwhile, Leo Varadkar also led a trade mission to Los Angeles, where he rubbed shoulders with Hollywood stars and stayed two nights in the $485-per night hotel that featured in Pretty Woman.
The €143,911 costs revealed do not include the sums spent on President Michael D Higgins and his delegation, who were in New York the same week.
The figure also excludes the sum spent on simultaneous visits by the Irish naval vessel the LE Samuel Beckett to New York and Boston for events coinciding with the UN meetings and engagements with the diaspora.
Mr Higgins addressed the UN General Assembly and promoted Ireland’s bid for a UN Council seat with various heads of state.
The President’s travel costs are kept secret and his office is exempt from the Freedom of Information Act.
A spokesperson for Mr Higgins declined to give details of costs, citing “security and other reasons”, and said the Department of Foreign Affairs made the arrangements for all overseas travel by the President.
A total of just under €70,000 was spent on Mr Varadkar’s trip to New York and LA.
Mr Varadkar addressed the UN Climate Action Summit, which also featured a contribution from Swedish campaigner Greta Thunberg.
It’s safe to say flights for the President, Taoiseach, seven ministers and 22 officials — not to mention the fuel used by the LE Samuel Beckett in its voyage — had a hefty carbon footprint. During his time at the UN, Mr Varadkar had meetings with several world leaders, including British PM Boris Johnson, and had his first introduction to Indian PM Narendra Modi.
A Government spokesperson last night said Mr Varadkar attended two other UN summits that week and that his encounter with Mr Johnson led to the subsequent meeting in England “where the Brexit deal was brokered”.
In Los Angeles, Mr Varadkar and five officials stayed two nights in the Beverly Wilshire Hotel at a total cost of around €5,260.
Screen Ireland — which is seeking to double the size of Ireland’s €1bn film industry — hosted an exclusive dinner at the hotel where guests included Hollywood executives and Oscar-nominated actor Ruth Negga. Mr Varadkar’s trip included what a spokesperson said was “high-level meetings” with studio executives. Mr Varadkar met Netflix and Disney bosses, among others.
Other engagements involved promoting the tourism and tech sectors in Ireland and the opening of the new Irish consulate in LA, which was attended by the city’s mayor Eric Garcetti.
Around €8,200 was spent on catering for a large group from LA’s Irish community which was also attended by California Lieutenant Governor Eleni Kounalakis. Loyola Marymount University provided the venue free of charge.
In New York a major focus for the President, Mr Varadkar and various ministers was Ireland’s ambition to take a seat on the UN Security Council for 2021 and 2022.
Tanaiste Simon Coveney said at the time that it was a “mammoth campaign” and the travelling delegation planned up to 100 meetings with foreign leaders and diplomats in an effort to drum up support for the bid.
He rejected any suggestion it was a vanity project, insisting this was a “cynical” view and Ireland should aspire to be at the UN’s top table. A Government spokesperson said the UN General Assembly week “provided an unparalleled opportunity to gain support for Ireland’s candidacy” amid “tough competition from Norway and Canada”. The Government already spent €650,000 on the campaign prior to the massive ministerial mission to New York.
Costs for the Department of Foreign Affairs delegation in New York — including Mr Coveney, junior ministers Helen McEntee and Ciaran Cannon and accompanying officials — came to just over €22,000.
Junior Defence minister Paul Kehoe travelled with four officials from his department at a cost of just over €15,000. He visited the crew of the LE Samuel Beckett .A reception held on board the vessel cost €1,940.
Other senior ministers and their officials attended UN meetings. Their costs were: Children Minister Katherine Zappone (€12,800); Environment Minister Richard Bruton (€8,400); Health minister Simon Harris (€7,300). Accommodation for all of the Irish dignitaries in New York, spread across in Fitzpatrick Grand Central and Fitzpatrick Manhattan Hotels, came to just over €45,000.