Central Bank’s €350k five-day ‘retreat’ meeting for visiting EU senior bankers as ‘bigwigs’ shock bill details revealed
THE Central Bank spent more than €350,000 hosting a five-day ‘retreat’ meeting for a visiting delegation of senior bankers from the European Union.
The enormous spend covered five-star accommodation, golf buggies, a hurling display, VIP airport costs — and even presentation mint sweets.
And the bill included a colossal €193,000 invoice from the exclusive Mount Juliet resort in Co Kilkenny.
The ‘retreat’ for the 26-strong governing council of the European Central Bank and banking staff was held amid tight security at the estate in May with a private security consultancy paid almost €23,000 to keep the finance chiefs safe.
Overall, accommodation costs came to €195,000, while €117,500 was spent on official transport, including more than 30 individual bills for platinum service from Dublin Airport.
Itemised spending released following a Freedom of Information request shows that €1,400 was spent on Parker branded pens.
And the bankers had no reason for any bad breath as €276 was spent on boxes of promotional mint sweets.
There was an outlay of just over €5,700 on green A4 folio notebooks from a handmade leather company, €120 for embossed bookmarks and €200 spent on “logo plates” for use during the event.
A slap-up meal at the fine-dining restaurant Pichet in Dublin cost just over €1,000.
Over half of the bill came from the Mount Juliet Estate where charges included €1,480 for buggy and golf buggy hire, €1,500 for a “hurling demonstration”, and €1,800 for a traditional band.
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There was a €11,602 bill from the famous Kytelers Inn in Kilkenny City, as well as a €350 charge for a tour of the medieval city, according to an invoice provided by the Central Bank.
Pointing out the benefits of the Irish gathering, a spokesman told us: “Each year, the European Central Bank typically holds two Governing Council meetings outside of Frankfurt, hosted by a national central bank.
“Earlier this year, the Central Bank hosted an ECB retreat over the course of four days in May.
“The last time the Central Bank hosted the ECB Governing Council was June 2007, so it was timely to convene again in Ireland.
“The meeting provided an important opportunity for the Central Bank to build on the strong collaboration with the ECB Governing Council and European partners.”
