I propose to take Questions Nos. 623, 625 to 627, inclusive, together.
The Ministerial Air Transport Service (MATS) 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 also 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 2011 to date in 2012 are set out in the tabular statement attached, and include details of the requesting Minister(s), dates of travel, mission route and Ministerial time on board.
My 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 including depreciation and personnel costs.
Details of the hourly costs under each heading, which are applicable to both 2011 and 2012, for each aircraft are contained in the tabular statement below:
|
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
|
AW139
|
1,410
|
3,410
|
It is important to note that 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.
My Department does not have comparable charges from commercial helicopter companies as my Department has no requirement to use commercial helicopters.
GULFSTREAM IV (From 1 January 2011 to date)
Date
|
Return Date
|
Ministerial Time On Board (Minutes)
|
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 and Trade
|
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 and Trade
|
21/06/2011
|
22/06/2011
|
300
|
Baldonnel — Vienna — Baldonnel
|
Tánaiste Foreign Affairs and Trade
|
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, Food and the Marine
|
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 and Trade
|
16/11/2011
|
16/11/2011
|
275
|
Baldonnel — Berlin — Frankfurt — Baldonnel
|
An Taoiseach
|
30/11/2011
|
30/11/2011
|
180
|
Baldonnel — Brussels — Baldonnel
|
Defence
|
07/12/2011
|
07/12/2011
|
345
|
Baldonnel — Vilnius — Baldonnel
|
Tánaiste Foreign Affairs and Trade
|
09/12/2011
|
09/12/2011
|
90
|
Baldonnel — Brussels — Baldonnel
|
An Taoiseach / MOS Taoiseach
|
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 Taoiseach / Finance / MOS Taoiseach
|
15/03/2012
|
21/03/2012
|
1050
|
Baldonnel — Chicago — Southbend — Whiteplains — Washington — Baldonnel
|
An Taoiseach
|
12/03/2012
|
12/03/2012
|
120
|
Baldonnel — Northolt — Baldonnel
|
An Taoiseach
|
26/04/2012
|
27/04/2012
|
200
|
Baldonnel — Luxembourg — Baldonnel
|
Agriculture, Food and the Marine / Justice and Equality
|
23/05/2012
|
24/05/2012
|
180
|
Baldonnel — Brussels — Baldonnel
|
An Taoiseach /Tánaiste (Foreign Affairs and Trade)
|
11/06/2012
|
14/06/2012
|
840
|
Baldonnel — Yerevan — Tbilisi — Batumi — Baku — Baldonnel
|
Tánaiste (Foreign Affairs and Trade)
|
22/06/2012
|
22/06/2012
|
185
|
Baldonnel — Edinburgh — Cork — Baldonnel
|
An Taoiseach / Communications, Energy and Natural Resources
|
25/06/2012
|
25/06/2012
|
200
|
Baldonnel — Brussels — Baldonnel
|
Tánaiste (Foreign Affairs and Trade)
|
28/06/2012
|
29/06/2012
|
180
|
Baldonnel — Brussels — Baldonnel
|
An Taoiseach, Tánaiste (Foreign Affairs and Trade), MOS Taoiseach
|
LEARJET 2011(From 1 January 2011 to date)
Date
|
Return Date
|
Ministerial Time On Board (Minutes)
|
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, Community 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 Taoiseach
|
20/05/2011
|
20/05/2011
|
80
|
Baldonnel — Cork — Baldonnel
|
An Taoiseach
|
07/06/2011
|
07/06/2011
|
100
|
Baldonnel — Luxembourg — Baldonnel
|
Agriculture, Food and the Marine
|
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
|
11/01/2012
|
12/01/2012
|
300
|
Baldonnel — Vienna — Baldonnel
|
Tánaiste (Foreign Affairs and Trade)
|
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 and Trade)
|
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 and Trade)
|
08/03/2012
|
09/03/2012
|
180
|
Baldonnel — Brussels — Baldonnel
|
Environment, Community and Local Government
|
12/03/2012
|
13/03/2012
|
180
|
Baldonnel — Brussels — Baldonnel
|
Finance
|
29/03/2012
|
30/03/2012
|
240
|
Baldonnel — Copenhagen — Baldonnel
|
Finance
|
23/04/2012
|
23/04/2012
|
200
|
Baldonnel — Luxembourg — Baldonnel
|
Tánaiste (Foreign Affairs and Trade)
|
01/05/2012
|
02/05/2012
|
180
|
Baldonnel — Brussels — Baldonnel
|
Finance
|
06/05/2012
|
07/05/2012
|
330
|
Baldonnel — Warsaw — Baldonnel
|
Finance
|
14/05/2012
|
15/05/2012
|
180
|
Baldonnel — Brussels — Baldonnel
|
Finance
|
21/06/2012
|
22/06/2012
|
200
|
Baldonnel — Luxembourg — Baldonnel
|
Finance
|
CASA (From 1 January 2011 to date)
Date
|
Return Date
|
Ministerial Time On Board (Minutes)
|
Route
|
Minister
|
27/10/2011
|
27/10/2011
|
330
|
Baldonnel — Luxembourg — Baldonnel
|
Justice and Equality
|
AW139 (From 1 January 2011 to date)
Date
|
Return Date
|
Aircraft
|
Min. Time On Board
|
Route
|
Minister
|
10/02/2011
|
10/02/2011
|
AW139
|
125
|
Baldonnel — Tullamore — Cork Airport — Baldonnel
|
An Taoiseach
|