The Government’s spend on flights for ministers and their officials to carry out St Patrick’s Day visits abroad has hit at least €142,000 — even before seven departments have revealed their outlay. At present, the two departments that spent the most on flights were the Department of Agriculture and the Department of Higher Education. In a parliamentary question response, Mr Heydon said the St Patrick’s Day trip was combined with a trade mission due to “time constraints later in the year when Ireland holds the EU presidency”. Read More Bord Bia reveals St Patrick’s Day promotions across 15 countriesThe second-highest spending department, the Department of Higher Education, saw €39,390 spent on flights for minister James Lawless and two department officials to Australia. This saw the minister and his staff fly from Dublin to Paris, Paris to Singapore, and then on to Melbourne.

Source: Irish Examiner April 07, 2026 16:13 UTC