Written answers
Thursday, 10 July 2008
Department of Defence
Ministerial Travel
4:00 pm
Liz McManus (Wicklow, Labour)
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Question 762: To ask 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]
Willie O'Dea (Limerick East, Fianna Fail)
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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.
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