A new patio costing €35,000, engraved harp logos for embassy buildings at €1,250 apiece, designer rugs worth €6,512, and €133,000 in business class flights were among the items billed to the taxpayer by the Department of Foreign Affairs last year.
Costs continued to mount up on the replacement of the roof of the Embassy in London where more than GB£1.9 million has been spent on a restoration project. Purchased from Ceadogán Rugmakers, the most expensive of them – items entitled Mainie Jellett No 4 and Mainie Jellett No 3 – cost €6,512 each. Other costly residential bills include around €17,000 a month for a property in Singapore and €12,715 per month in the capital of Finland, Helsinki.
Money well spent!