The cost of foreign travel, including flights, accommodation, food, subsistence and other incidental costs, incurred by myself, the former Taoiseach and Ministers of State at my Department, and including Private Office Staff (normally 2-3 officials), and Security who travelled on these occasions in 2007, 2008 and to the end of September 2009 is detailed in the following table:
|
Taoiseach & Officials from Private Office
|
Minister of State for European Affairs & Officials from Private Office
|
Chief Whip & Officials from Private Office
|
|
€
|
€
|
€
|
2007
|
118,889.84
|
32,342.54
|
13,476.28
|
2008
|
261,562.32
|
4,965.79
|
2,238.24
|
YTD 2009
|
121,985.22
|
5,589.39
|
11,660.85
|
Typically the costs include the following:
foreign subsistence,
hotel costs,
air fares,
taxi expenses,
car hire,
telecommunication expenses,
carbon emission charges and
other receipted expenses.
It should be noted that the majority of costs in relation to the Minister of European Affairs are in respect of Private Office staff, as the Minister's expenses are paid by the Department of Foreign Affairs.