Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs Minister and Galway West T.D, Eamon O Cuiv has defended his expenditure on luxury car services.

Minister O' Cuív spent 20 thousand euro on chauffeur services while on foreign trips over the past two years.

He racked up the bill during 12 of his 16 official trips abroad which includes tips totalling one and a half thousand euro during three US visits.

Speaking to Galway Bay fm News, Minister O Cuiv defended the amounts.

He says the cost of car hire in the US is very expensive and tipping is simply part of the overall bill.