This Is How Much Irish Taxpayers Paid For TDs’ Trips Aboad In 2017

The Irish Independent has revealed that taxpayers spent almost €250,000 on overseas and domestic trips for TDs and Senators in 2017.

Citing figures obtained from the Freedom Of Information Act 2014, the publication reveals that a total of €248,390.43 was spent on trips that included conferences, parliamentary hearings, Brexit discussions and a parade.

The most expensive trip was to Dhaka in Bangladesh where four TDs attended an Inter Parliamentary Union conference in March.

The findings also revealed that more than €5,000 was spent on flights and accommodation which were never availed of as TDs did not travel. The unused spending was for trips to places including Brussels, Tallinn, Washington, New York and Iceland.