Ministerial Travel

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 11 October 2011

Tuesday, 11 October 2011

Questions (356, 357)

Gerry Adams

Question:

386 Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Minister for Defence the details of each trip by Ministers in which the use of the Government jet was needed for travel; and the cost of same since he was elected in March 2011. [28150/11]

Written answers

Minister for Defence (Deputy Alan Shatter)

The Ministerial Air Transport Service is primarily provided by the Gulfstream IV and Learjet 45 aircraft, which were specifically acquired for that purpose. Details of usage of the Ministerial Air Transport Service since 9 March 2011 are set out in the tabular statement, and include details of the requesting Minister(s), dates of travel, ministerial time on board and mission route.

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

The direct cost which includes 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 such as catering costs, cleaning services and airport handling charges.

The total cost which is the direct cost plus the costs associated with having the aircraft and includes depreciation and personnel costs.

The average direct cost per hour for the Gulfstream is €3,270 and for the Learjet is €1,940. The average total cost per hour for the Gulfstream is €3,790 and for the Learjet is €4,200. These costs are average costs which take a number of variables into account. It is not possible to assign an exact cost to any particular mission or Minister.

Gulfstream IV (From 9 March 2011)

Date	Return Date	Min. Time On Board (Minutes)	Route	Minister
10/03/2011	12/03/2011	185	Baldonnel — Brussels — Knock — Baldonnel	An Taoiseach
15/03/2011	18/03/2011	825	Baldonnel — Washington — Baldonnel	An Taoiseach / Tánaiste Foreign Affairs
24/03/2011	25/03/2011	180	Baldonnel — Brussels — Baldonnel	An Taoiseach
12/04/2011	12/04/2011	200	Baldonnel — Luxembourg — Baldonnel	Tánaiste Foreign Affairs / Justice & Equality / MOS Foreign Affairs
17/04/2011	18/04/2011	120	Baldonnel — Northolt — Baldonnel	An Taoiseach
04/05/2011	06/05/2011	810	Baldonnel — Teteboro — White Plains — Teteboro — Knock — Baldonnel	An Taoiseach
09/06/2011	10/06/2011	200	Baldonnel — Luxembourg — Baldonnel	Justice & Equality
19/06/2011	19/06/2011	100	Baldonnel — Luxembourg — Baldonnel	Tánaiste Foreign Affairs
21/06/2011	22/06/2011	300	Baldonnel — Vienna — Baldonnel	Tánaiste Foreign Affairs
20/06/2011	20/06/2011	120	Baldonnel — Northolt — Stansted — Baldonnel	An Taoiseach / Communications, Energy & Natural Resources
23/06/2011	24/06/2011	180	Baldonnel — Brussels — Baldonnel	An Taoiseach / MOS Taoiseach
21/07/2011	21/07/2011	180	Baldonnel — Brussels — Baldonnel	An Taoiseach / MOS Taoiseach
25/09/2011	26/09/2011	420	Baldonnel — Algiers — Oran — Baldonnel	Agriculture, Marine & Food
29/09/2011	30/09/2011	330	Baldonnel — Warsaw — Baldonnel	An Taoiseach

Learjet (From 9 March 2011)

Date	Return Date	Min. Time On Board (Minutes)	Route	Minister
13/03/2011	14/03/2011	230	Baldonnel — Shannon — Brussels — Baldonnel	Finance / Environment, Heritage & Local Government
21/03/2011	21/03/2011	180	Baldonnel — Brussels — Baldonnel	Finance / MOS Foreign Affairs
07/04/2011	09/04/2011	330	Baldonnel — Budapest — Baldonnel	Finance
16/05/2011	17/05/2011	180	Baldonnel — Brussels — Baldonnel	Finance / MOS Taoiseach
20/05/2011	20/05/2011	80	Baldonnel — Cork — Baldonnel	An Taoiseach
07/06/2011	07/06/2011	100	Baldonnel — Luxembourg — Baldonnel	Agriculture, Marine & Food
11/07/2011	12/07/2011	180	Baldonnel — Brussels — Baldonnel	Finance
15/09/2011	17/09/2011	290	Baldonnel — Wroclaw — Baldonnel	Finance
22/09/2011	23/09/2011	360	Baldonnel — Brussels — Wroclaw — Brussels — Baldonnel	Defence / Justice & Equality
03/10/2011	04/10/2011	100	Baldonnel — Luxembourg — Baldonnel	Finance

Gerry Adams

Question:

387 Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Minister for Defence if he will give details of the occasions on which the Government jet was used for purposes other than the transport of Government Ministers; and the cost to the Exchequer of same since he was elected into office. [28151/11]

Minister for Defence (Deputy Alan Shatter)

There are two jets which provide Ministerial Air Transport, the Gulfstream IV and the Learjet 45. In addition to its Ministerial Air Transport Service (MATS) role, the Gulfstream and Learjet are routinely tasked with Air Ambulance missions, provide "Top Cover" for search and rescue purposes, and are also occasionally used for military operations. In 2011, the Learjet participated in one air show in Malta.

Details of non MATS usage since the 9th March 2011 are set out in the tabular statements and include details of mission type, destination and flying times. The Department follows the normal practice in the aviation business of costing aircraft by reference to the cost per flying hour under either of two headings:

The direct cost which includes 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 such as catering costs, cleaning services and airport handling charges.

The total cost which is the direct cost plus the costs associated with having the aircraft and includes depreciation and personnel costs.

The current average direct cost per hour for the Gulfstream is €3,270 and for the Learjet is €1,940. The average total cost per hour for the Gulfstream is €3,790 and for the Learjet is €4,200. These costs are average costs which take a number of variables into account. It is not possible to assign an exact cost to any particular mission.

Air Ambulance

Aircraft	Date	Location	Flight Time (Hours)
Gulfstream IV	29/06/2011	Newcastle	02:00
	26/07/2011	Kerry	01:20
	14/09/2011	Cork	01:35
Total			04:55
Learjet 45	22/03/2011	London Northolt	02:20
	24/03/2011	Norwich	02:15
	13/04/2011	Doncaster	01:50
	15/04/2011	Doncaster	01:45
	19/05/2011	London Northolt	02:05
	25/05/2011	London Northolt	02:25
	09/07/2011	London Heathrow	02:05
	22/07/2011	London Northolt	02:10
	27/07/2011	London Northolt	02:20
	15/08/2011	London Northolt	02:10
	19/08/2011	London Northolt	02:20
	27/08/2011	Cork — London — Heathrow	04:10
	07/09/2011	London Northolt	02:20
	09/09/2011	Nuernberg	04:10
	12/09/2011	London Northolt	02:15
	14-15/09/2011	London Heathrow	02:00
	10/10/2011	London Northolt	02.20
Total			41.00

Top Cover

Aircraft	Date	Location	Flight Time
Learjet 45	09/08/2011	Off West Coast	01:50
	10/08/2011	Off West Coast	03:05
Total			4:55

Airshow

Aircraft	Date	Location	Flight Time
Learjet 45	24-26/09/2011	Valetta, Malta	06:45