The Garda Band has cost taxpayers an average of almost €25,000 per performance since 2020 – a figure comparable to booking fees charged by some top stars in the music industry.
Nearly €4.6 million has been spent on the ensemble over the past two-and-a-half years, during which time it has played at a total of 190 events in settings including schools, nursing homes, hospitals, and churches.
The €24,123 average cost of each gig is roughly equivalent to booking fees charged by top English bands The Kaiser Chiefs and Editors, and slightly more than Paolo Nutini and Macy Gray, according to a price list previously leaked by a booking agency.
