Ministerial Travel.

Thursday, 10 July 2008

Questions (763)

Liz McManus

Question:

762 Deputy Liz McManus asked the Minister for Defence the cost and frequency of travel per month since the beginning of this new Government by Ministers and Ministers of State by means of bus transport, rail transport or air transport by Department and by Minister involved in the travel; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29143/08]

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Written answers

Minister for Defence (Deputy Willie O’Dea)

During the period from 14 June 2007 to date, I availed of the Ministerial Air Transport Service for official travel as follows:

Minister for Defence from 14 June 2007 to 9 July 2008

Aircraft	Date	Return Date	Min. Time on Board	Route
Learjet	07/11/07	07/11/07	380 Minutes	Baldonnel-Lulea-Baldonnel
Gulfstream IV	19/11/07	19/11/07	210 minutes	Baldonnel — Shannon — Brussels — Baldonnel
Gulfstream IV	13/02/08	13/02/08	190 minutes	Baldonnel — Paris — Baldonnel
Gulfstream IV	04/03/08	06/03/08	370 minutes	Baldonnel — Shannon — Sarajevo — Shannon — Baldonnel
Gulfstream IV	23/04/08	24/04/08	490 minutes	Baldonnel — Pristina — Skopje — Pristina — Vienna — Shannon — Baldonnel
Gulfstream IV	25/05/08	25/05/08	105 minutes	Baldonnel — Shannon — Brussels — Baldonnel
Gulfstream IV	16/06/08	18/06/08	780	Baldonnel — Shannon — N’Djamena — Shannon — Baldonnel
EC135 Helicopter	06/09/07	06/09/07	90 minutes	Baldonnel-Sarsfield Barracks-Haulbowline-Sarsfield Barracks-Baldonnel
EC135 Helicopter	23/03/08	23/03/08	100 minutes	Sarsfield Barracks — Phoenix Park — Sarsfield Barracks
EC135 Helicopter	14/04/08	14/04/08	50 minutes	Sarsfield Barracks — Phoenix Park
AW139 Helicopter	01/05/08	01/05/08	115 minutes	Baldonnel -Sarsfield Barracks — Sligo Airport — Finner — Sarsfield Barracks — Baldonnel
AW139 Helicopter	30/05/08	30/05/08	100 minutes	Sarsfield Barracks — Phoenix Park — Sarsfield Barracks
EC135 Helicopter	10/06/08	10/06/08	70 minutes	Sarsfield Barracks — Curragh Camp — Sarsfield Barracks
EC135 Helicopter	19/06/08	19/06/08	100 minutes	Sarsfield Barracks — Baldonnel — Sarsfield Barracks

Minister of State at Defence from 14 June 2007 to 9 July 2008

Aircraft	Date	Return Date	Min. Time on Board	Route
Gulfstream IV	04/09/07	06/09/07	460 minutes	Baldonnel-Pristina-Skopje-Pristina-Baldonnel
Gulfstream IV	01/12/07	03/12/07	300 minutes	Baldonnel — Lisbon — Baldonnel
Learjet	21/02/08	22/02/08	310 minutes	Baldonnel — Ljubljana — Baldonnel

With regard to cost, the Department of Defence follows the normal practice in the aviation business of costing aircraft by reference to the cost per flying hour under either of two headings:

(a) The direct cost, i.e. the costs which are additional to those associated with having the aircraft and which only arise when the aircraft is flown including maintenance, fuel and support services; and

(b) The total cost, i.e. the direct cost plus the costs associated with having the aircraft, i.e. depreciation and personnel costs.

The costs associated with Air Corps aircraft used in provision of Ministerial Air Transport Service are as follows:

Aircraft	Average Direct Cost Per Hour	Average Total Cost Per Hour
	€	€
Gulfstream	3,500	7,100
Learjet	1,000	2,100
EC135 Helicopter	640	*
AW139 Helicopter	1,200	*

*The average total cost per hour is not yet available in respect of the Air Corps EC135 and AW 139 helicopters.

No costs were incurred in respect of bus or rail transport.