Bill for Govt hosting EU Presidency rises to over €75m
The bill to the Government is hosting the six-month EU Presidency to the end of August totals €75.2 million.
In the final quarter of 2023, Ireland's hosting of the EU Presidency has led to government expenditures surpassing €75 million. This revelation comes from Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation Jack Chambers, who detailed the figures in a written Dáil reply to Independent Ireland TD Ken O'Flynn.
The largest expenditure, €26.3 million, was by the Department of Justice, Home Affairs and Migration. The Department of Foreign Affairs incurred €20.3 million, with the Office of Public Works (OPW) spending €19.6 million. An Garda Síochána, tasked with security and safety, has been allocated €125 million. The overall cost of hosting the EU Presidency is estimated at €300 million in revised Government Estimates 2026.
The exact final costs of the Irish Presidency will only be known in 2027, once all work is completed. Meanwhile, the International AI Summit in Dublin, a key event of the EU Presidency, has a final expenditure to be confirmed post-event.
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