A GOVERNMENT minister and his wife stayed in a $1,200-a-night room charged to the taxpayer on a remarkable junket to New York, a Sunday Tribune investigation has revealed.


John O’Donoghue, who is now ceann comhairle, and his wife Kate Ann spent four nights in the Waldorf Astoria hotel on a €28,000 trip arr­anged by Tourism Ireland.


Figures released to the Sunday Tribune show that the hotel bill alone for O’Don­oghue and his wife came to €4,009 – or $4,802 – during the trip in November 2006.


The minister travelled with his soon-to-retire secretary general Philip Furlong and Private Secretary Therese O’Connor for the launch of the new ‘North American Strategy and Action Plan’.


Details released by Tourism Ireland show that a total of €1,198 was spent on theatre tickets for three separate Broadway shows.


Two meals, which fed 17 people in total, ended up costing €1,454.73, according to the figures.


Shared transport for the duration of the stay cost €4,930, the Sunday Tribune has established.


A flight to Newark Airport for the minister and his wife cost a total of €5,306, as they flew business class to the American east coast.


The cost of travel and accommodation for Phil Furlong and Therese O’Connor was also significant.


A flight for Furlong on board the same jet to Newark ended up costing €2,635 while a similar flight for O’Connor cost even more at €3,939.


Tourism Ireland said the visit was the culmination of a major project targeting tourists in North America.


“In 2006, Tourism Ireland completed its review of the North American market ‘North America: Land of Opportunity’ – an action plan for growing tourism from the United States and Canada to the island of Ireland,” it said.


“The minister launched the review to key decision-makers in the North American travel industry. He hosted the launch event, undertook a schedule of interviews with business and travel media, and met key decision makers among the North American community of carriers, tour operators and travel executives.


“He also undertook meetings with representatives of the sports, film and wider arts communities as well as meetings with members of Irish organisations in New York.”