Hotel bills of nearly $8,000 for Manhattan stays justified for St Patrick’s Day, says Wicklow council
The Wicklow PeopleWicklow County Council has defended the cost and governance of overseas travel to the United States for St Patrick’s Day celebrations, after records released under the Freedom of Information Act detailed hotel, flight and subsistence expenses for senior officials, councillors and staff.
The documents show that council representatives travelled to New York and to Dublin, California in March 2026 as part of St Patrick’s Day engagements and an established town twinning relationship between Bray Municipal District and Dublin, California.
In total, the council said the travel cost amounted to €14,830.94, covering flights, accommodation and subsistence, calculated using prevailing exchange rates.
When approached for comment, the council said in a statement the trips were aimed at maintaining links with the Wicklow diaspora, particularly in the New York and US east coast region, and at sustaining a long standing twinning relationship in California that has delivered cultural, educational and tourism benefits over several decades.
“The celebration of St Patrick’s Day in the US is an important connection to the Wicklow diaspora living in America,” the council said, adding that participation this year was particularly important to demonstrate solidarity with emigrant communities and to promote Wicklow as a place to visit and do business.
The records show that Wicklow County Council’s chief executive, Emer O’Gorman, travelled to New York from March 12 to 18 and stayed at the Kimpton Theta Hotel in Manhattan’s Times Square district. The six night stay cost $3,801.81, including taxes and additional charges.
Internal emails show the booking was made in August 2025, with Ms O’Gorman noting to staff that accommodation costs were significantly higher than previous years due to visitor taxes and demand around St Patrick’s Day.
The records also show the chief executive initially booked business class flights, but later reimbursed the council for the difference between economy and business class fares. An internal finance email confirms that €471.69 was repaid by electronic funds transfer on August 28, 2025, bringing the final cost to an economy equivalent fare.
The Cathaoirleach of Wicklow County Council, Cllr Melanie Corrigan, also travelled to New York for the same period, staying at the Kimpton Hotel Eventi, further uptown in Manhattan. Her six-night stay cost $4,097.96. Flight records show she travelled economy class with Aer Lingus, at a total cost of €579.20.
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Responding to questions about value for money, the council said accommodation options in Manhattan during the St Patrick’s Day period were extremely limited and priced at a premium.
“Consideration is given to the availability of accommodation in a location that is proximate to meeting locations and the parade,” the statement continues. It added that accommodation costs in Manhattan were not comparable with other parts of the US and that this was recognised in Department of Public Expenditure and Reform travel and subsistence rates.
The council said several alternative hotel options were examined and dismissed on cost grounds, though no written comparison was included in the released records.
Separate records relate to a Bray Municipal District delegation that travelled to Dublin, California as part of the annual sister city and St Patrick’s Day programme. The Bray–Dublin (California) twinning relationship dates to the late 1990s and has involved exchanges in education, cultural activities and local government practices.
Emails show that when the district’s director of services was unable to attend, approval was sought and granted by the chief executive for district administrator Brian Wildes and acting senior engineer Stephen Fox to represent Bray Municipal District.
Mr Wildes and Mr Fox travelled to San Francisco and on to Dublin, California between March 11 and 17. Flight bookings, accommodation receipts and subsistence claim forms are included in the records, all referencing the relevant national circulars governing foreign travel allowances.
Both officials submitted subsistence claims of €832.03 each, which were approved by the district manager and processed through non purchase order payment forms, with expenditure coded under foreign travel and twinning expenses.
Hotel bookings for the California leg included stays in San Francisco and at the Holiday Inn in Dublin, California, with receipts showing combined accommodation costs more than €1,000.
The FOI release also includes a members’ travel expenses claim from Cllr Caroline Winstanley, who attended the Dublin, California twinning events.
Her claim for March 2026 totalled €1,459.14 and consisted entirely of subsistence allowances, including overnight, 10-hour and five-hour rates, converted from US dollar amounts.
Her attendance was approved in advance by the director of services, and the claim was signed off in accordance with protocols governing councillor expenses abroad.
Wicklow County Council said all overseas travel and subsistence payments were made strictly in line with national circulars and the council’s internal travel and subsistence policies.
The records appear to show a clear approval trail for all trips, along with finance oversight and repayment where expenses exceeded permitted limits.
A gift register entry also records the receipt of a wooden bowl during the visit.
Asked whether it would review future overseas St Patrick’s Day travel following public scrutiny of the costs, the council said it remains cognisant of expenditure and keeps all such costs under review on a year to year basis.