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Departmental Transport.

Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 2 April 2008

Wednesday, 2 April 2008

Questions (952)

Fergus O'Dowd

Question:

1017 Deputy Fergus O’Dowd asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if his Department has used helicopters for any purpose for each year since 2002 to date in 2008; the reason for such use; the suppliers of the helicopter; the dates and locations visited and distance travelled; the cost of same and persons carried; if quotations were sought for such trips; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12419/08]

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Written answers

Where use has been made of helicopters by my Department, this service has been provided by the AirCorps, Department of Defence. There have been two exceptions to this in the time period in question, details for which are provided in this response.

A member of staff from the National Monuments section in the Department accompanied a UNESCO expert and an OPW staff member on a helicopter flight commissioned by the Commissioner of Irish Lights to view Skellig Michael World Heritage Site on 29 November 2007. There was no cost to the Department.

Minister of State Batt O'Keeffe, T.D., used a helicopter when travelling some 140 kilometres from Siem Reap to Pailin in Cambodia on 20 March 2007. This was part of a St. Patrick's Day visit to the region. The Minister visited a minefield in Pailin at the invitation of the HALO Trust who organised and paid for the helicopter use. HALO Trust specialise in the removal of mines and have received funding from the Irish Government.

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