It cost more than €786,000 to send the Taoiseach and other ministers around the world on private aircrafts last year.
There was a total of 49 trips in 2019, at average cost of €14,400 per journey.
While the government normally uses commercial flights for air travel, the government jet – called Learjet – or the Air Corps’ Casa aircraft is used when necessary.
There were 46 missions on Learjet last year, costing about €731,000.
The most frequent flier was Tanaiste and Foreign Affairs Minister Simon Coveney, who made 17 journeys on the plane, while the Taoiseach made 15.
The most expensive was Leo Varadkar’s two-day trip to Egypt last February for the EU-Arab summit, which cost the taxpayer roughly €52,200 in air travel.
The next costliest use of the government jet was the Tánaiste's trip to Tel Aviv last month, which cost €48,800.
The Taoiseach took a further three trips on the lighter Casa aircraft, which set the taxpayer back more than €55,000.
A government spokesman says representing Ireland abroad is a key part of any government, especially given the Brexit situation.
