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Irish Daily Mirror
16-05-2025
- Business
- Irish Daily Mirror
Inside the €76k flight bill for Taoiseach's St Patrick's Day trip to the US
Taxpayers spent over €76,000 on flights for Taoiseach Micheál Martin, his wife and eight other members of staff as part of St Patrick's Day celebrations, the Irish Mirror can reveal. This does not include money spent on accommodation on the six-day trip to the United States, which included stops in Texas and Washington DC. The Taoiseach's itinerary included the key meeting with US President Donald Trump in the White House on Wednesday, March 12. The Foreign Travel Report for February, published by the Department of the Taoiseach, stated that 'flights for Taoiseach and delegation from Dublin to Austin return for St Patrick's Day, 09/03/2025 to 14/03/2025' cost a total of €64,629.71. In response to queries from the Irish Mirror, the Government press office confirmed that an additional €11,780 was paid in March. It brings the total price of flights for the Taoiseach's St Patrick's Day trip to the US to €76,409.71. The press office confirmed that there were 10 people travelling to the US as part of the Taoiseach's trip Stateside. This included the Taoiseach, his wife Mary, the Secretary General John Callinan, Chief of Staff Deirdre Gillane, Government Press Secretary Paul Clarkson, the Assistant Secretary, Principal Officer, the Private Secretary to the Taoiseach and two Garda Close Protection Officers. The Government press office further confirmed that the overall cost of the flights included the cost of Mr Martin's wife's flights. For the transatlantic flights – from Dublin to Austin and Washington DC to Dublin – four of the delegation flew business class on the outbound leg and two of the delegation flew business class on the inbound leg. No information was provided about who flew business class, but the Irish Mirror understands that Mr Martin did. GIS confirmed to the Irish Mirror that 'no accommodation costs have been incurred to date' by the Department of the Taoiseach for this trip. The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade organised and paid for accommodation, which will be recouped later. The October Foreign Travel Report shows that flights for then-Taoiseach Simon Harris and his delegation's visit to Washington to meet then-President Joe Biden cost €14,743.61 Mr Martin flew to Austin, Texas, on Sunday March 9. On Monday, he attended the SXSW festival and met with the Governor of Texas, Greg Abbott. He also attended a reception at the Consulate of Ireland in Austin. The Taoiseach and his team spent two nights in Texas before flying to Washington DC on Tuesday March 11. After arriving in the US capital that afternoon, Mr Martin attended the annual Embassy of Ireland St. Patrick's Day Reception on Tuesday evening. On Wednesday, the Taoiseach had a full day of political engagements, during which he met President Trump and US Vice President JD Vance and attended a lunch on Capitol Hill held by Speaker Mike Johnson. Thursday consisted of meetings with business groups and IDA client companies ahead of the Ireland Funds National Gala in the evening. On Friday, Mr Martin held further business meetings before a meeting with high-level representatives of the US Jewish community.
Yahoo
13-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Martin continues US trip after mixed day with Trump
Irish premier Micheal Martin continues his US engagements on Thursday after a mixed day with Donald Trump which saw the president address a 'massive' trade imbalance with Ireland. Mr Trump declared 'I love the Irish' at a traditional annual event in which Mr Martin gifted him a bowl of shamrock to mark the deep ties between the US and Ireland. 'I'm always struck by the awesome beauty of the Emerald Isle and the strength and warmth and grit and grace of the Irish people,' the president told the ceremony which is the centrepiece of the Irish Government's major overseas diplomatic push in the run-up to St Patrick's Day. However, a 50-minute exchange in front of reporters at the Oval Office earlier on Wednesday the day allowed Mr Trump to offer some more uncomfortable commentary on Ireland. It came amid heightened concern around the administration's protectionist approach to tariffs and tax, which could pose a significant risk to an Irish economy that is in large part sustained by long-standing investment by US multinationals. The president said he does not want 'to do anything to hurt Ireland' but added that the trade relationship between the countries should be focused on 'fairness'. While levelling accusations against Ireland and the European Union, he said Dublin is 'of course' taking advantage of the US. Mr Trump told reporters in the Oval Office: 'There's a massive deficit that we have with Ireland and with other countries too, and we want to sort of even that out as nicely as we can, and we'll work together.' He accused the Irish Government of 'taking' US pharmaceutical companies through attractive taxation measures and criticised the EU's ruling that found that Apple owes Ireland billions of euros in taxes. Mr Martin told him that US pharmaceutical companies 'are doing very well in Ireland' and there was a 'two-way' economic partnership between the countries. The Taoiseach also hailed the president's efforts on peace in Gaza and Ukraine and said he 'hoped' Mr Trump would return to visit Ireland. Elsewhere on Wednesday, Mr Martin also attended a Friends of Ireland luncheon at the US Capitol and a breakfast meeting at the US vice-president's official residence. Mr Martin and his wife Mary were greeted by vice-president JD Vance and his wife Usha at the US Naval Observatory. Mr Trump also met with Northern Ireland deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly, Communities Minister Gordon Lyons and Assembly Speaker Edwin Poots at the US Capitol. Ms Little-Pengelly said he took 'a huge amount of interest in Northern Ireland' as they talked about how to continue the 'constructive relationship' between Northern Ireland and the US. Mr Martin's agenda on Thursday includes meetings with business leaders and the annual black-tie Ireland Funds National Gala. Ms Little-Pengelly and Northern Ireland Secretary Hilary Benn will participate in the NI Bureau breakfast.
The Independent
13-03-2025
- Business
- The Independent
Martin continues US trip after mixed day with Trump
Irish premier Micheal Martin continues his US engagements on Thursday after a mixed day with Donald Trump which saw the president address a 'massive' trade imbalance with Ireland. Mr Trump declared 'I love the Irish' at a traditional annual event in which Mr Martin gifted him a bowl of shamrock to mark the deep ties between the US and Ireland. 'I'm always struck by the awesome beauty of the Emerald Isle and the strength and warmth and grit and grace of the Irish people,' the president told the ceremony which is the centrepiece of the Irish Government's major overseas diplomatic push in the run-up to St Patrick's Day. However, a 50-minute exchange in front of reporters at the Oval Office earlier on Wednesday the day allowed Mr Trump to offer some more uncomfortable commentary on Ireland. It came amid heightened concern around the administration's protectionist approach to tariffs and tax, which could pose a significant risk to an Irish economy that is in large part sustained by long-standing investment by US multinationals. The president said he does not want 'to do anything to hurt Ireland' but added that the trade relationship between the countries should be focused on 'fairness'. While levelling accusations against Ireland and the European Union, he said Dublin is 'of course' taking advantage of the US. Mr Trump told reporters in the Oval Office: 'There's a massive deficit that we have with Ireland and with other countries too, and we want to sort of even that out as nicely as we can, and we'll work together.' He accused the Irish Government of 'taking' US pharmaceutical companies through attractive taxation measures and criticised the EU's ruling that found that Apple owes Ireland billions of euros in taxes. Mr Martin told him that US pharmaceutical companies 'are doing very well in Ireland' and there was a 'two-way' economic partnership between the countries. The Taoiseach also hailed the president's efforts on peace in Gaza and Ukraine and said he 'hoped' Mr Trump would return to visit Ireland. Elsewhere on Wednesday, Mr Martin also attended a Friends of Ireland luncheon at the US Capitol and a breakfast meeting at the US vice-president's official residence. Mr Martin and his wife Mary were greeted by vice-president JD Vance and his wife Usha at the US Naval Observatory. Mr Trump also met with Northern Ireland deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly, Communities Minister Gordon Lyons and Assembly Speaker Edwin Poots at the US Capitol. Ms Little-Pengelly said he took 'a huge amount of interest in Northern Ireland' as they talked about how to continue the 'constructive relationship' between Northern Ireland and the US. Mr Martin's agenda on Thursday includes meetings with business leaders and the annual black-tie Ireland Funds National Gala.
