Ministerial Travel

Wednesday, 14 March 2012

Questions (143)

Thomas P. Broughan

Question:

145 Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Defence the number of times each Government Minister has requested usage of the ministerial air transport service for each of these years 2010 and 2011 and to date in 2012; the location of each trip; the cost of each of these trips; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14492/12]

View answer

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.

The CASA maritime patrol aircraft have been used infrequently for Ministerial Air Transport missions where no MATS aircraft has been available for operational or technical reasons.

Helicopters have been used on occasion for Ministerial air transport in situations where, for operational reasons, fixed wing aircraft may not have been available or suitable for a particular mission.

Details of usage of the Ministerial Air Transport Service for 2010, 2011 and to date in 2012 are set out in the following tabular statement, and include details of the requesting Minister(s), dates of travel, mission route and Ministerial time on board. The details provided relate to requests from Government Ministers that have been approved by the Taoiseach.

The Department follows the normal practice in the aviation business of costing aircraft by reference to the cost per flying hour under each 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.

Costs in 2011/12:

	Average Direct Cost Per Hour€	Average Total Cost Per Hour€
Gulfstream	3,270	3,790
Learjet	1,940	4,200
CASA	2,800	4,210
AW 139	1,410	3,410

Costs in 2010:

Aircraft	Average Direct Cost Per Hour€	Average Total Cost Per Hour€
Gulfstream	4,050	7,890
Learjet	1,270	2,950
AW 139	1,470	3,130
EC 135	430	1,590

These 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 2010

Date	Return Date	Min. Time On Board	Route	Minister
18/01/2010	18/01/2010	180	Baldonnel — Brussels — Baldonnel	Agriculture, Fisheries and Food / MOS Agriculture, Fisheries and Food / MOS Foreign Affairs
14/01/2010	14/01/2010	120	Baldonnel — Northolt — Baldonnel	An Taoiseach / Foreign Affairs
20/01/2010	22/01/2010	270	Baldonnel — Madrid — Baldonnel	Justice, Equality and Law Reform /Social and Family Affairs
25/01/2010	26/01/2010	105	Baldonnel — Northolt — Belfast City — Baldonnel	An Taoiseach / Foreign Affairs
27/01/2010	27/01/2010	40	Baldonnel — Belfast City — Baldonnel	An Taoiseach
11/02/2010	11/02/2010	180	Baldonnel — Brussels — Baldonnel	An Taoiseach
05/02/2010	05/02/2010	75	Baldonnel — Belfast City — Cork — Baldonnel	An Taoiseach/ Foreign Affairs
23/02/2010	26/02/2010	700	Baldonnel — Cairo — El Arish — Cairo — El Arish — Cork — Baldonnel	Foreign Affairs
22/02/2010	22/02/2010	220	Baldonnel — Cork — Brussels — Baldonnel	Foreign Affairs/Agriculture, Fisheries and Food
05/03/2010	06/03/2010	270	Baldonnel — Cork — Madrid — Seville — Cork — Baldonnel	Foreign Affairs
12/03/2010	18/03/2010	1420	Baldonnel — Chicago — Moffett Field (California) — Washington — Baldonnel	An Taoiseach / Foreign Affairs
07/05/2010	07/05/2010	180	Baldonnel — Brussels — Baldonnel	An Taoiseach
09/05/2010	09/05/2010	180	Baldonnel — Brussels — Baldonnel	Finance
17/05/2010	18/05/2010	270	Baldonnel — Madrid — Baldonnel	An Taoiseach
21/05/2010	21/05/2010	180	Baldonnel — Brussels — Baldonnel	Finance
28/05/2010	28/05/2010	100	Baldonnel — Paris — Cork — Baldonnel	Enterprise, Trade and Innovation
14/06/2010	14/06/2010	240	Baldonnel — Cork — Luxembourg — Baldonnel	Foreign Affairs/ MOS Foreign Affairs
17/06/2010	17/06/2010	180	Baldonnel — Brussels — Baldonnel	An Taoiseach / MOS Taoiseach
23/06/2010	23/06/2010	120	Baldonnel — Northolt — Baldonnel	An Taoiseach
21/06/2010	21/06/2010	120	Baldonnel — Northolt — Baldonnel	Justice and Law Reform
27/06/2010	03/07/2010	1190	Baldonnel — Cork — Valletta — Kampala — Addis Ababa — Valletta — Cork — Baldonnel	Foreign Affairs
06/07/2010	06/07/2010	90	Baldonnel — Brussels — Baldonnel	Health and Children
11/07/2010	15/07/2010	980	Baldonnel — Teteboro — White Plains — Teteboro — Atlanta — Baldonnel	An Taoiseach
16/07/2010	16/07/2010	90	Baldonnel — Brussels — Baldonnel	Justice and Law Reform
19/07/2010	20/07/2010	170	Baldonnel — Derry — Gatwick — Baldonnel	Transport
27/07/2010	28/07/2010	435	Baldonnel — Warsaw — Budapest — Baldonnel	Agriculture, Fisheries and Food
16/09/2010	16/09/2010	180	Baldonnel — Brussels — Baldonnel	An Taoiseach / Foreign Affairs / MOS Foreign Affairs
27/09/2010	27/09/2010	190	Baldonnel — Knock — Brussels — Baldonnel	MOS Finance
04/10/2010	05/10/2010	180	Baldonnel — Brussels — Baldonnel	An Taoiseach
07/10/2010	12/10/2010	865	Baldonnel — Washington — Teteboro — White Plains — Teteboro — Baldonnel	Finance
28/10/2010	29/10/2010	230	Baldonnel — Brussels — Shannon — Baldonnel	An Taoiseach / MOS Taoiseach
25/10/2010	25/10/2010	180	Baldonnel — Brussels — Baldonnel	Finance
16/11/2010	17/11/2010	265	Baldonnel — Ronneby — Stockholm — Baldonnel	Defence
22/11/2010	22/11/2010	180	Baldonnel — Brussels — Baldonnel	Foreign Affairs / MOS Foreign Affairs

Learjet 2010

Date	Return Date	Min. Time On Board	Route	Minister
25/01/2010	25/01/2010	235	Baldonnel — Brussels — Shannon — Baldonnel	MOS Foreign Affairs
06/02/2010	08/02/2010	220	Baldonnel — Bilbao — Baldonnel	Tánaiste (Enterprise, Trade and Employment)
01/02/2010	01/02/2010	40	Baldonnel — Cork — Belfast City — Baldonnel	Foreign Affairs
12/02/2010	13/02/2010	220	Baldonnel — Coruna — Baldonnel	Transport
03/02/2010	04/02/2010	130	Baldonnel — Belfast City — Heathrow — Belfast Aldergrove — Baldonnel	Foreign Affairs
18/02/2010	19/02/2010	240	Baldonnel — Bern — Baldonnel	MOS Foreign Affairs
14/02/2010	16/02/2010	180	Baldonnel — Brussels — Baldonnel	Finance
21/02/2010	21/02/2010	90	Baldonnel — Brussels — Baldonnel	Agriculture, Fisheries and Food
28/02/2010	01/03/2010	180	Baldonnel — Brussels — Baldonnel	Tánaiste (Enterprise, Trade and Employment)
02/03/2010	03/03/2010	265	Baldonnel — Geneva — Northolt — Baldonnel	Foreign Affairs
13/03/2010	13/03/2010	130	Baldonnel — Derry — Munich — Baldonnel	Tánaiste (Enterprise, Trade and Employment)
15/03/2010	16/03/2010	180	Baldonnel — Brussels — Baldonnel	Finance
16/03/2010	16/03/2010	105	Baldonnel — Dusseldorf — Derry — Baldonnel	Tánaiste (Enterprise, Trade and Employment)
25/03/2010	26/03/2010	180	Baldonnel — Brussels — Baldonnel	An Taoiseach / MOS Taosieach
22/03/2010	22/03/2010	220	Baldonnel — Cork — Brussels — Baldonnel	Foreign Affairs / MOS Foreign Affairs
29/03/2010	29/03/2010	180	Baldonnel — Brussels — Baldonnel	Agriculture, Fisheries and Food
23/03/2010	23/03/2010	60	Baldonnel — Heathrow — Baldonnel	MOS Enterprise, Trade and Employment
25/04/2010	26/04/2010	200	Baldonnel — Luxembourg — Baldonnel	Defence / MOS Foreign Affairs
28/04/2010	29/04/2010	335	Baldonnel — Berlin — Munich — Cork — Baldonnel	Foreign Affairs
10/05/2010	11/05/2010	265	Baldonnel — Brussels — Strasbourg — Baldonnel	MOS Foreign Affairs
27/05/2010	27/05/2010	240	Baldonnel — Leipzig — Baldonnel	Transport
17/05/2010	17/05/2010	190	Baldonnel — Knock —Brussels — Baldonnel	MOS Finance
24/05/2010	24/05/2010	90	Baldonnel — Cork — Brussels — Baldonnel	Enterprise, Trade and Innovation
30/05/2010	01/06/2010	300	Baldonnel — Badajoz (Spain) — Baldonnel	Agriculture, Fisheries and Food
04/06/2010	04/06/2010	200	Baldonnel — Luxembourg — Baldonnel	Justice and Law Reform
07/06/2010	07/06/2010	200	Baldonnel — Luxembourg — Baldonnel	Finance
24/06/2010	24/06/2010	200	Baldonnel — Luxembourg — Baldonnel	Transport
25/06/2010	25/06/2010	120	Baldonnel — Guernsey — Baldonnel	An Taoiseach / Communications, Energy and Natural Resources
22/06/2010	22/06/2010	180	Baldonnel — Brussels — Baldonnel	Transport
21/06/2010	21/06/2010	180	Baldonnel — Cork — Brussels — Baldonnel	Foreign Affairs
06/09/2010	07/09/2010	180	Baldonnel — Brussels — Baldonnel	Finance / Communications, Energy and Natural Resources
07/09/2010	08/09/2010	300	Baldonnel — Vienna — Baldonnel	Foreign Affairs
10/09/2010	11/09/2010	180	Baldonnel — Cork — Brussels — Cork — Baldonnel	Foreign Affairs
23/09/2010	24/09/2010	180	Baldonnel — Brussels — Baldonnel	Defence
26/09/2010	28/09/2010	480	Baldonnel — Pristina — Sarajevo — Baldonnel	Defence
22/09/2010	22/09/2010	180	Baldonnel — Brussels — Baldonnel	Finance
29/09/2010	01/10/2010	190	Baldonnel — Brussels — Knock — Baldonnel	MOS Finance
06/10/2010	08/10/2010	490	Baldonnel — Sofia — Bucharest — Cork — Baldonnel	Foreign Affairs
11/10/2010	12/10/2010	200	Baldonnel — Cork — Luxembourg — Baldonnel	Enterprise, Trade and Innovation
08/11/2010	08/11/2010	180	Baldonnel — Brussels — Baldonnel	Justice and Law Reform
16/11/2010	17/11/2010	180	Baldonnel — Brussels — Baldonnel	Finance
28/11/2010	28/11/2010	180	Baldonnel — Brussels — Baldonnel	Finance
13/12/2010	13/12/2010	70	Baldonnel — Douglas(Isle of Man) — Baldonnel	An Taoiseach / Communications, Energy and Natural resources
14/12/2010	14/12/2010	120	Baldonnel — Heathrow — Baldonnel	Foreign Affairs
16/12/2010	17/12/2010	180	Baldonnel — Brussels — Baldonnel	An Taoiseach / MOS Taoiseach

Heli's 2010

Date	Aircraft	Min. Time On Board	Route	Requesting Minister
16/04/2010	AW139	60	Phoenix Park — Cork Airport — Curragh	Taoiseach/ Foreign Affairs
01/09/2010	EC 135	50	Phoenix Park — Galway Airport	Enterprise, Trade and Innovation

Gulfstream IV 2011

Date	Return Date	Min. Time On Board	Route	Minister
04/02/2011	04/02/2011	180	Baldonnel — Brussels — Baldonnel	An Taoiseach / MOS Foreign Affairs
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 and 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 and 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 and 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 and Food
29/09/2011	30/09/2011	330	Baldonnel — Warsaw — Baldonnel	An Taoiseach
12/10/2011	13/10/2011	180	Baldonnel — Brussels — Baldonnel	An Taoiseach / Communications, Energy and Natural Resources
22/10/2011	23/10/2011	180	Baldonnel — Brussels — Dublin	An Taoiseach / MOS Taoiseach
06/11/2011	07/11/2011	455	Baldonnel — Moscow — Baldonnel	Tánaiste Foreign Affairs
16/11/2011	16/11/2011	275	Baldonnel — Berlin — Frankfurt — Baldonnel	An Taosieach
30/11/2011	30/11/2011	180	Baldonnel — Brussels — Baldonnel	Defence
07/12/2011	07/12/2011	345	Baldonnel — Vilnius — Baldonnel	Tánaiste Foreign Affairs
09/12/2011	09/12/2011	90	Baldonnel — Brussels — Baldonnel	An Taoiseach / MOS Taoiseach

Learjet 2011

Date	Return Date	Min. Time On Board	Route	Minister
17/01/2011	17/01/2011	180	Baldonnel — Brussels — Baldonnel	Finance
14/02/2011	15/02/2011	180	Baldonnel — Brussels — Baldonnel	Finance
01/03/2011	01/03/2011	180	Baldonnel — Brussels — Baldonnel	Agriculture, Fisheries and Food
13/03/2011	14/03/2011	230	Baldonnel — Shannon — Brussels — Baldonnel	Finance / Environment, Heritage and 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 Taosieach
20/05/2011	20/05/2011	80	Baldonnel — Cork — Baldonnel	An Taoiseach
07/06/2011	07/06/2011	100	Baldonnel — Luxembourg — Baldonnel	Agriculture, Marine and 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 and Equality
03/10/2011	04/10/2011	200	Baldonnel — Luxembourg — Baldonnel	Finance
21/10/2011	22/10/2011	180	Baldonnel — Brussels — Baldonnel	Finance
26/10/2011	26/10/2011	180	Baldonnel — Brussels — Baldonnel	An Taoiseach / MOS Taoiseach
07/11/2011	08/11/2011	180	Baldonnel — Brussels — Baldonnel	Finance
24/11/2011	25/11/2011	280	Baldonnel — Poznan — Baldonnel	Public Expenditure and Reform
29/11/2011	30/11/2011	180	Baldonnel — Brussels — Baldonnel	Finance

Heli's 2011

Date	Aircraft	Min. Time On Board	Route	Requesting Minister
10/02/2011	AW139	125	Baldonnel — Tullamore — Cork Airport — Baldonnel	An Taoiseach

CASA 2011

Date	Return Date	Min. Time On Board	Route	Minister
27/10/2011	27/10/2011	330	Baldonnel — Luxembourg — Baldonnel	Justice and Equality

Gulfstream IV 2012

Date	Return Date	Min. Time On Board	Route	Minister
12/01/2012	12/01/2012	120	Baldonnel — Northolt — Baldonnel	An Taoiseach
25/01/2012	27/01/2012	240	Baldonnel — Zurich — Baldonnel	An Taoiseach
30/01/2012	30/01/2012	180	Baldonnel — Brussels — Baldonnel	An Taoiseach / MOS Taoiseach
08/02/2012	09/02/2012	790	Baldonnel — Teteboro — Whiteplains — Teteboro — Dublin	An Taoiseach / Enterprise/Trade and Innovation
15/02/2012	17/02/2012	835	Baldonnel — Teteboro — White Plains — Teteboro — Boston — Baldonnel	An Taoiseach
23/02/2012	24/02/2012	385	Baldonnel — Berlin — Rome — Baldonnel	An Taoiseach
29/02/2012	02/03/2012	180	Baldonnel — Brussels — Baldonnel	An Taosieach / Finance

Learjet 2012

Date	Return Date	Min. Time On Board	Route	Minister
11/01/2012	12/01/2012	300	Baldonnel — Vienna — Baldonnel	Tánaiste (Foreign Affairs)
18/01/2012	18/01/2012	250	Baldonnel — Berlin — Baldonnel	Finance
23/01/2012	24/01/2012	250	Baldonnel — Brussels — Frankfurt — Baldonnel	Finance
26/01/2012	29/01/2012	725	Baldonnel — Naples — Tel Aviiv — Naples — Baldonnel	Tánaiste (Foreign Affairs)
09/02/2012	09/02/2012	180	Baldonnel — Brussels — Baldonnel	Finance
20/02/2012	21/02/2012	180	Baldonnel — Brussels — Baldonnel	MOS Finance
24/02/2012	24/02/2012	385	Baldonnel — Tunis — Baldonnel	Tánaiste (Foreign Affairs)