HOW ‘THE COPE’ HOSTED AUSTRALIANS

THE cost to Irish taxpayers of the two-day Australian delegation’s visit to Ireland this June was in excess of €12,000.

That included dinner for 19 people – hosted by deputy Pat ‘The Cope’ Gallagher – at Hugo’s restaurant on Merrion Row, Dublin 2, a lively venue with live jazz.

That cost €1,216, or €64 a head.

Also included were accommodation at the Davenport hotel at over €400 per night per person, transport via a Mercedes S-Class and mini-bus hire at €3,052, and of course, private dining in Leinster House, which came to €692 in one sitting.

This included seven bottles of Oireachtas wine costing just over €113.

The Australian delegation had six politicians and three officials and, in contrast to the Irish trip out to Australia – which is subject to FoI, the itinerary of the Australians is freely available under their own parliamentary transcripts.

Their visit was part of a specific Brexit mission, which first took in Paris and London.

It included seven official meetings.