Central Bank paid Expedia firm €540,000 in travel fees in 2018

Amount paid to hotels.com part of overall €1.5m spend on travel for staff last year

The Central Bank last year paid hotels.com more than €540,000 in fees for its travelling staff.

The payment to the Expedia firm is part of a €1.5 million spend by the Central Bank on travel and hotels last year for its staff. The largest payment was €715,143 paid to travel consultants FCM Travel Solutions. The €1.5 million spend also includes €194,131 to Aer Lingus, €50,307 to roomex.com and €24,799 to Ryanair.

A spokesman for the Central Bank said: “In line with our travel policy, Central Bank staff overnight accommodation is offered in line with public sector policies and spend limits.”

Figures show that it also paid Sodexo Ireland €3.54 million for providing catering services for the bank's 2,000 staff at North Wall Quay, Spencer Dock and Sandyford in Dublin. The spokesman said: "Staff, contractors and visitors may purchase catering services in the bank and all such payments received are offset against this cost."

Gordon Deegan

Gordon Deegan

Gordon Deegan is a contributor to The Irish Times