Does that Cost Include Green Beer?

With St. Patrick's Day fast approaching many are planning to enjoy a day full of green beer. While taking some time off of work and paying your bar tab may hurt your bank account, your cost is nothing compared to the money spent by Irish officials each year.

Irish broadcast network, RTE, published an article today exposing that Irish officials spend about over 560,000 euros, or about $860,000 to travel aboard for the holiday of the country's most well-known saint.

Irish Taoiseach (Prime Minster) Bertie Ahern defended the expenditures, which included lavish hotel rooms and expense airfare, telling RTE that taxpayers are getting a return on the goodwill trips. Many of the trips were to destinations in the US. Of course making Americans think that the Irish are more drunk that they already believe is sure to have big payoffs.