The Department of the Taoiseach has paid out almost €100,000 for the provision of secretarial services for two former Taoisigh already this year.
The €98,231 in payments were made by the Department on behalf of Enda Kenny and Bertie Ahern during the first seven months of the year.
However, with the Covid-19 pandemic reducing travel and the number of official events – no costs were incurred in the provision of VIP airport services, or state cars.
The department said they had received no correspondence in the first half of 2021 seeking use of a state car from any of the former Taoisigh.
Supports for the retired politicians had been ended in 2012 by then-Taoiseach Enda Kenny as the Celtic Tiger crash bit hard.
However, five years later, they were signed back into place personally by Leo Varadkar who was told the estimated annual cost would be in the region of €300,000.