IRISH EYES ARE SMILING
Gov’s trip to Emerald Isle cost $83,000
A trade trip to Ireland Gov. Maura Healey took last month cost more than $83,000, which was largely covered with state funds dedicated to tourism and a technology-focused public agency, the administration disclosed yesterday.
Healey traveled to Ireland at the end of June with two secretaries, an undersecretary, the head of the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative, and four staff members. It was Healey’s first international trip since taking over the executive office, one that she billed as a way to “establish and grow relationships” with foreign leaders.
The bulk of the trip — nearly $50,000 — was paid for by the Massachusetts Tourism Trust Fund, a $4.3 million account used to promote tourism in the state and help regional tourism councils. It is in part funded by tax revenues from casinos. Another $21,719 was covered by the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative, a public agency focused on the technology sector, the administration said.
The rest of the trip — $12,697 — was paid for by the Massachusetts Competitive Partnership, a nonprofit policy group made up of business leaders from some of the state’s largest companies.
The cost breakdown includes airfare, hotels, ground transportation, and meals from the governor, secretaries, undersecretary, and accompanying staff members.
“There are many synergies and shared values between Ireland and Massachusetts, in addition to proximity, which make for a great opportunity for business development,” Healey spokesperson Karissa Hand said in a statement. “By fostering these partnerships, we have already heard from several companies looking to discuss expansion in Massachusetts and know our bond with Ireland will only grow stronger.”
Healey has spent about a month out of state in the first seven months of her tenure, traveling several times to Washington and once to New Jersey, among other places, according to her daily calendars. Not all of her out-of-state travels are paid for with taxpayer dollars; those that are considered political are typically paid for personally or with campaign cash.
Healey left for Ireland on June 25, taking an evening Aer Lingus flight from Boston to Dublin. The next day,
June 26, Healey attended a meeting at the Irish Embassy, a business roundtable, and a Pride reception at the official residence of the United States ambassador to Ireland, according to her schedule.
She addressed the Irish Senate on June 27, where she touted the relationship between Massachusetts and the country as “powerful and necessary.” She then attended a lunch with Irish lawmakers.
She spoke privately with Micheál Martin, the deputy head of government of Ireland, minister for foreign affairs, and minister for defense, on June 28. She later took part in a panel discussion on former President John F. Kennedy, and met for an hour with Irish Prime Minister, or Taoiseach, Leo Varadkar, according to Healey’s calendar.
A day before leaving for Boston, June 29, Healey’s only calendar item was a “JFK ‘A Homecoming’ Foundation Dinner.”
The governor took a 7 a.m. Aer Lingus flight from Dublin back to Boston on June 30. After landing she had a call with officials from the Executive Office of Administration and Finance, according to her schedule.
The Healey administration said the trip produced discussions on increasing collaboration on funding research and development in the clean energy sector, developing a partnership to implement sustainability programming in K-12 schools, and developing new ways to share best practices on decarbonizing buildings, among other things.