Tánaiste Michael Martin will be allowed to keep a watch given to him by US President Joe Biden after his department determined that its value fell below the €650 maximum for gifts to officials.
The Foreign Office said it had made a “concerted effort” over the past few months to accurately assess the watch, reports Breaking News.
Now they have officially determined that the item can be kept because its value does not exceed 650 euros.
If this is the case the gift will be considered state property and will require a formal assessment by the Office of Public Works (OPW) under the Ethics Regulations.
The watch was one of three items Martin received from Joe Biden during the president’s visit in April, along with a pair of sunglasses and a notebook.
The Tánaiste received gifts 11 times in the first seven months of this year, according to data released by the department, reports Breaking News.
In March, he received a traditional Japanese metal chalice from the Japanese ambassador, Maruyama Norio, as well as a digital photo frame from the American stock exchange NASDAQ.
In May, Mr. Martin received four tracksuit tops from the Consulate General in Boston, a double photo frame from the Cross-Border Orchestra of Ireland, and a photo and photo frame from the Peace Players of Northern Ireland.
In June, he received a Luxembourg GAA shirt from that country’s prime minister, and gifts collected in July included a fruit basket from the Pakistani ambassador, a wooden animal sculpture from a South African minister and a slate plaque from the University College. Cork in Dublin Alumni Chapter.
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