DONEGAL COUNTY Council's 1,500-strong workforce received more than €2.7 million in travelling expenses last year, new figures reveal.
The council spent another €200,000 on lunch, dinner and refreshments for councillors, staff, guests and members of the press.
According to figures obtained from the council this week, the highest earners were Roads and Transportation Services staff who claimed more than €800,000 in expenses.
They were closely followed by the Water, Environment and Emergency Services section, which claimed €715,000. The total travelling expenses bill for the council last year was €2,704,181.96.
The seven directors of services and the county manager, Michael McLoone, received a combined total of €80,364.81 during the same period, down from the €83,097.63 they were paid in 2005.
Donegal's 29 councillors claimed almost €1 million in expenses in 2007 - down €15,000 from the previous year's figure.
According to figures released by the council, the average payout for councillors came to almost €30,000.