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GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS HAVE spent over €1.7 million on taxis and limousine services in the last two years.
Catherine Murphy of the Social Democrats asked each department for a breakdown of their spending, with the most money being spent by the Department of Foreign Affairs, which ran up bills of €848,910.
The high spend was attributed to the use of taxi, car and limo services both internationally and domestically.
The Department of the Taoiseach has spent nearly €75,000 on taxis since 2015. Some €14,000 has been spent by the department this year up to the end of June.
In the last three years, almost €130,000 has been spent on ground transport for Enda Kenny and Leo Varadkar during foreign trips.
Taxi hire
“My department has a taxi account for official business purposes with a company selected by the Office of Government Procurement following a public tender. Taxis are used for official purposes where there is no other practical or suitable alternative mode of transport available,” explained Varadkar.
Discussing his department’s spend over the last two years, the Taoiseach added that the sum of €1,800 was spent in 2015 on domestic car hire to transport relatives to the State funeral for Thomas Kent.
He also pointed out that when he or Ministers of State undertake trade missions or bilateral engagements with foreign heads of state or government, it is necessary for embassies to hire ground transport vehicles, such as cars and people carriers or mini-buses.
This is vital for security purposes, he added.
The Minister for Finance and Public Expenditure Paschal Donohoe has spent over €59,486 on taxi fares since 2015.
“No money has been spent on the hiring of limousines,” he said.
Foreign travel
The Department of Agriculture spent over €166,786 in the last two years.
The minister explained that these payments largely relate to foreign travel on official duties. They include transport service providers paid in the first instance by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and the cost of which has subsequently been recouped from the Agriculture Department.
“This expenditure would also cover some of the work of Agricultural Attaché’s based in the various embassies and ground transport charges for EU Council of Ministers, bi-lateral meetings and foreign trade missions led by myself or my predecessor,” said Minister Michael Creed.
The Department of Justice and Equality spent over €108,983 on taxis from 2015 to the end of June 2017.
Justice Minister Charlie Flanagan said it is the department’s policy to keep taxi usage to a minimum, adding that members of staff are advised to share services when a taxi is required.
Since 2015, the Department of Housing has spent €23,477 on taxi services, with an additional €2,000 spent on car hire.
The Department of Defence spent just over €20,000, while the Department of Transport spent over €24,000.
Transport Minister Shane Ross said his department operates a travel policy which states clearly that officers should only use taxis where it is absolutely necessary and when there is no cheaper method of public transport available.
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The Crane Bar Galway, more locals than tourists has to be in top 9.
The Glen Tavern, Glenties, Donegal is definitely worth checking out!
@cníchi: This is The Journal. Venturing as far north as Sligo for a feature like this is a feat on its own.
The Crane bar in Galway.
Cryan’s, Carrick on Shannon is missing.
Peadar Browns Clanbrassil Street
Piper’s Corner should have made the list.
@Dublin By Pub: I’ve been there only two or three times (more a Briody’s fan) but had no idea they hosted trad sessions.
Mad how Matt Molloys in Westport didn’t get a mention considering there’s a trad session every night of the year and him and the other members The Chietains play together there regularly
@John Lally: very fair point. I was there about 6 years ago and it was one hell of a night.
@John Lally: great craic, but headline includes ‘without the tourists’ and Molloys gets lots of tourists.
Good to see Shoot The Crows, Sligo, there. Rustic Inn, Abbeyshrule, Longford very good too.
Wednesday nights Larkin’s pub in Corbally, Limerick
Thursday nights, HiB in Mallow, Co. Cork
two really nice authentic weekly sessions.
This is a local pub for local people!
An Spailpin in Cork is a great spot.. Like stepping out of the city into the countryside.
@Rob Cahill: nice pint of Beamish in there too
Nothing in Belfast?
@Brendan M:
They don’t seem to regard Belfast as being in Ireland on this site.
McNeill’s on Capel Street in Dublin
Jim O the mills is a great place to go
Imagine no pub in Co Clare included in s list of traditional music venues….I’d say there was a lot of research done for that report. Fake news ????
@Pat Duggan: corofin is in clare !!
The CIE Hall/Inchicore Sports and Social Club has a very serious session on the last Friday night of every month too. Absolutely no tourists anywhere near the place, and no leprauchans or tat at all! https://www.facebook.com/InchicoreSportsAndSocialClub/
The Cobblestone, Smithfield.
James griffens bar (Lenehans) in trim co.meath should be on the list too
Whats the best pub in Killarney? Bringing the American cousins down on Monday for a couple of day’s.
@Jim Jiminy: You will be spoilt for choice in Killarney, get there early and walk around town, most places will have signs up if they have music that night. A great pub is Reidy’s lovely atmosphere there. Also Tatler Jack, O’Connor’s, O’Donoghue’s, Dunloe Lodge, ah the list goes on and on so my advice is to call to a few & get chatting to the locals & you can’t go far wrong in finding plenty ceol & craic for your American cousins. Enjoy it all of you.
@Mary Cullinane: Thank’s Mary
@Jim Jiminy: Reidy’s on Main St. This spot alone is worth a visit to Killarney, and there’s proper music every night.
Tuohys in Rathdowney Co Laois. Once owned by 2 sisters, bought some years ago by a Dublin musician, who didn’t change a thing. It only holds about 30 people but the Sat and Mon night open mic sessions are legendary!
Mccarthys bar in Buttevant every Friday night. Craicing music. Lovely old world bar.
Hughes’ has a very nice ‘general’ folk, singer-songwriter, americana etc session in the Snug on Wednesday nights….
and no mention of wexford…
Traynors in Oldcastle any Sat night
Drogheda has #MusicAtTheGate each month and sessions every week. The best one is in the Grey Goose every Monday from 9.
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