Use of helicopters by officials criticised

SENIOR OFFICE holders should be told not to use helicopters at the State’s expense when going to football matches, Fine Gael’s Michael Ring said.

He asked Taoiseach Brian Cowen if he considered it appropriate that officeholders were using Air Corps helicopters to go to provincial football finals.

“At the Connacht final last year, I saw a Government helicopter arriving. The State car went around the back and brought the person in to attend a football match. I heard the hissing and booing and people giving out that this was their money.”

The Taoiseach, he said, should send out a directive to Ministers, the President, and everybody in the State, that they should not be using helicopters for Connacht, Munster or Leinster finals. “We cannot afford it any longer.”

Taoiseach Brian Cowen said he did not believe they were used specifically for that purpose. “If a person was on official business that Sunday . . .”

Mr Ring said: “The Connacht final was not official business. Or was it?” Mr Cowen replied: “If people are on official business in the morning . . . and the helicopter is returning to base and someone wants to be dropped off at a match . . . I do not see that as outrageous.” Mr Ring said going to a football match in Castlebar on the third Sunday in July was not official business and the Taoiseach should condemn it.

Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny said the cost of the scheduled maintenance for the Government jet this year was €2 million. The requirements of Ministers in straitened economic times might be more feasible if they flew by commercial flights. Mr Cowen said the jet was available for official business, with a view to using it to the minimum requirement.