Ministers must prove usefulness of St Patrick’s Day trips – Tóibín

Responding to the news that 33 ministers will jet around the globe for St Patricks Day Aontú Leader Peadar Tóibín stated:

“Ireland has enormous international influence for its size and St Patrick’s Day is an extremely important cultural day for Irish people at home and abroad. The day also allows us to exercise a level of soft power that many other small countries could only dream of”.

“However Irish politics has a long history of politicians jetting off for junkets on St Patrick's Day. At a time of a deep cost of living crisis, budget deficits and run away national debt, its extremely important that the government do not head off for knees ups and jollies.

“Aontú is calling on all government ministers jetting off for St Patrick’s day to publish in advance the cost of the trip and to provide clear measures of the value the trips will bring. In advance of their trips we are calling on ministers to detail all of the meetings and engagements that they will be attending and who they will be meeting. On their return ministers should publish all the outputs achieved in these meetings and engagements. Citizens will then be able to analyse whether such trips were worth it.

“Anyone who is working in the private sector would have very clear performance indicators when they engage in expensive international travel. The case for travel would have to be made in advance and proof of usefulness would be provided on return. I think that we should seek proof of usefulness from our elected government reps as well if that’s possible. When citizens are being made to pay a carbon tax while energy prices are spiralling surely Green ministers must prove that trips around the world will make a material difference for citizens at home," he said.