HE MAY not be the world's most popular man, but in embattled US president George W Bush, former Taois­each Bertie Ahern must have seen a kindred spirit.

On his final visit to the United States in April, Ahern spared no expense when it came to buying a gift for his US counterpart.

The Department of Taoi-seach said Ahern had offered Bush a €350 "Sculpters" limestone sculpture for his parting gift, the fourth he gave him this year.

Bush was also given a set of silver King Sitric cufflinks and a tie pin, which had a combined value of €180.

Laura Bush also benefitted from the ex-Taoiseach's – or rather the taxpayers' – largesse and she received a €117 Waterford Crystal charm bracelet.

The total cost for the presents handed out to dignitaries, world leaders, security men, drivers and others encountered by the Taoiseach since the start of 2007 came to more than €15,000.

Ahern gave Caroline Kennedy a linen hand-worked napkin and tray cloth set worth €56.68 and a linen hand-worked runner, which cost €19.36. Bog oak sculptures worth €150 each were also presented to speaker of the house Nancy Pelosi and senator Richie Neal to mark Ahern's address to the joint houses of Congress.

Cufflinks, books and pens were doled out like confetti, with delegates, security men and drivers all getting small keepsakes from the Taois­each's party.

Senator Edward Kennedy was the proud recipient of an €85 Waterford Crystal Araglin 7in bowl.

It was the third gift that Kennedy had received from the Taoiseach in the space of just three months.

On the annual St Patrick's Day jolly, Kennedy got a €150 set of cufflinks and a month earlier received a bog oak sculpture which cost €411.30. It was to mark the occasion of his 80th birthday.

President George Bush also got further gifts, receiving another bog oak sculpture worth €197.82 and the hardy annual shamrock bowl, a €355 piece of Waterford Crystal. For St Patrick's Day, his wife Laura got a €260 linen set, while daughter Jenna Bush got €57 worth of linen.