Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)

On the specific issue, there was a requirement to meet with the managing director of Dell very quickly in regard to impending decisions and it was the right thing to do in the circumstances.

I am informed by the Department of Defence that, in keeping with normal practice in the aviation business, it is not possible to assign an exact cost to any particular mission. However, on the basis of an approximation to actual costs, the average direct cost of €4,000 per hour would be a more reasonable measure. These are costs which arise while the aircraft is being flown and include maintenance, fuel and support services. One is at times required to meet a number of people from one stage to another and the jet is used for that purpose. Scheduled flights could not be used in situations where, for example, one is going to Luxembourg and Berlin before continuing on to London.

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