The Tánaiste, Ms Harney, used an Aer Corps aircraft to fly to Sligo for the opening of a friend's off-licence last month at an estimated cost of £2,000 an hour .
Ms Harney, accompanied by her husband, Mr Brian Geoghegan, was flown to Sligo Airport in a CASA aircraft - normally used for fisheries patrolling - on Friday, December 14th. It is believed the Government jet was being used by the Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, at the time.
At Sligo Airport they were collected by her driver who had travelled from Dublin. The couple were then taken to Manorhamilton, Co Leitrim, to perform the opening of an off-licence owned by Mr Fergus O'Hagan, an old friend of the Tánaiste, according to a report in the latest edition of Phoenix Magazine.
It is understood they remained at the event until after 10 p.m before driving to the airport and returning to Dublin on the CASA.
According to a spokesman for Ms Harney, the reason she had to fly from Dublin was that she had a series of ministerial engagements throughout the day and would not have got to Manorhamilton on time if she had travelled by car. He said the opening of the off-licence was a significant local event.
Informed sources confirmed the CASA aircraft costs £2,000 an hour to operate, excluding air crew salaries.