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A NEW GOVERNMENT jet may have to be bought as the current plane is “nearing the end of its natural life”.
The Learjet has been out of action for repair in recent months and has been unavailable for 35% of the year to date.
The Taoiseach has had to use the CASA maritime patrol aircraft and commercial flights for some trips.
However, the Taoiseach was recently left stranded in Brussels after an Air Corps aircraft scheduled to fly him home went out of service at the last minute.
While the Taoiseach used the Learjet to return back to Ireland from Brussels yesterday, a Government spokesperson confirmed to political correspondents today that there have been mounting issues with the plane.
They said “all options are on the table” such as the possibility of purchasing a new plane or leasing a new jet.
“There has been issues,” they said, adding that as part of a wider review of defence spending, a number of options are being considered.
The situation has to be addressed, they concluded.
The Air Corps Learjet was purchased in 2004 and has been in operation for seventeen years.
The Government once had two jets, but the Gulfstream IV plane was sold in 2017 €418,000.
There was controversy at the time over the sale price given that the jet was valued at somewhere in the region of €750,000. It was bought in 1992 for €45 million.
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Where did I read recently that some PM of some country flew commercial and in economy, shouldn’t our politicians do this? waste of money better spent on more important issues
@Sean Collins: Automatically knew this would rise people. While I agree that they are a huge amount of money, what kind of impression would their foreign counterparts have if the Taoiseach or other dignitary rocked up on a Ryanair flight? Also there’d be huge time inefficiency as many routes not connected and would need transfers and where they are available, they would need to be running at the correct time.
@Longlin: You do realize that our politicians are not important people on the world stage, right?
This pumping them up to being outstanding candidates in their fields needs to stop. Most of them got their “jobs” because their daddy was in the seat until he snuffed it. They are lifers who live off the state all of their working lives.
It needs to stop.
@David Corrigan: Of the current 160 TD’s, please enlighten us with a list of those who ‘got their jobs because their daddy was in the seat until he snuffed it’. Most of them will require a list of over 80, fill your boots lad.
@Declan Fitzsimons: Over the years. You know right well what I mean
@David Corrigan: we all know right well what you said. If you mean something different then say something different.
@Gavin Minihane: But you understood what I said.
@David Corrigan: No, I do not know what you mean. You made an infantile point, without any facts to back it up.
@David Corrigan: How does anything you’ve said, wrong as it all may be, change the fact that we have a Government and a President and international duties and responsibilities, not the least of which is our membership of the EU, which you seem to need reminding now leaves us as an isolated island member of same, 3 hours flight time from the HQ. You’re talking nonsense.
@Sean Collins: We need a government jet, end of discussion.
@Declan Fitzsimons: You clearly missed the point. But that’s ok.
@Eoin Roche: It’s all about respect Eoiny. Of course our lot will travel and take part in international meetings but they have no influence or ability to change things. Yes Men & Women for the EU.
@David Corrigan: “It’s all about respect Eoiny”
Not quite an oxymoron perhaps but close enough.
@Longlin: Interesting question and it’s a good one, how would it look?
Here is how I see it;
Wouldn’t it look like they are a decent leader if they were leading by example?
Do they not have people to find said correct transfers and connections?
@Longlin: what difference would time make to any of them yokes. Sure they do no work, they just cost us money flying around. Who would give any of them any need where ever they go ???. Remember Sarcozzi rubbing India Kinny on the head one time at some meeting,– making a fool of him he was .
@Sean Collins: the moldovan pm flies economy on European routes as i was sitting with his secretary on a flight with him and she told me this was the normal procedure for European flights.
Good on him..
@Frank T.: Frank I once flew back to Dublin with Simon Coveney on Ryanair. Does that count?!
@David Corrigan: Silly comment. We are a small country operating to the highest standards and are proud of it.
Someone told me they once saw Jeremy Corbyn on a standard BA Dublin/London flight (and in economy) when he was Labour leader and presumably here on official business. Why can’t ours do the same?
@Ernie Gallagher: 10 hours queuing at Dublin Airport ….. that’s not going to work.
@Ernie Gallagher: Because the abuse they’d probably get plus Jeremy Corbyn wasn’t a prime minister. It sound ideal to let them fly economy but the reality is that its a bit impractical. Foreign political visits are run on a tight schedule as they try to meet as many people as possible on these trips. The reality of that happening while flying economy is very slim as its time consuming.
@Ernie Gallagher: we already do exactly that, heads of parties fly just like Corbyn and the UK government, prime ministers and presidents fly in government jets just like the UK government
@Keith Fay: what party leaders fly in the government jet??? Didn’t Leo take a commercial flight to Davos a few weeks ago.
@Patrick O Connell: the OP said Corbyn flies on standard planes, not government jets and that’s what i said. Our’s do the same.
@Wooden Spoon: He mightn’t have been Prime Minister, but leader of the opposition in the UK is about as high profile as positions in world politics come. No abuse either by all accounts, just a few polite requests for selfies after he landed. Reports even suggest he managed to grab a quick twenty minute power nap during the flight. All in all, very civilised.
No doubt cabbage head will want it battery operated.
✈️✈️
@Derek Anderson: He will insist on buying a glider.
@David Corrigan: jumping off the cliffs of moher headed for NY on paddy’s day!!!
@Connor Coady: ….on a calm day please God!
If its needed so be it. Another Journal article just riling up the crowd.
You won’t get a commercial flight out of Brussels at 3.00/4.00 am after an European summit meeting.
@Liam Dunne: so let them wait
Buy a new one if it’s needed but get value for money no uber luxury, just whatever is needed. Dont lease! also don’t sell the current jet for less than its value like the last one went.
Buying small business jets is a false economy. We need a State Aircraft, not a government jet. Recently the British Government wet-leased an A321 airliner and had it painted up in Union Flags. If we did similar, we would have a long range plane capable of carrying troops to UN missions, freight space to resupply them, an Air Ambulance to go anywhere in Europe or America, a rescue plane to fetch Irish citizens in any trouble spots in the World within 24 Hours and also for the Government and President to use. With wet-lease (plane and crew contracted) we’d never own it and when it became obselete the supplier would put a new one on the service, so depreciation and disposal wouldn’t arise. It would also take pressure off the Air Corps staff.
@Eoin Roche: Is Baldonnel long enough for a 321 or similar?
@Paul Hedderman: Range and performance of a318 might work
@Malachy: Yeah, I was thinking an A318 or 319. I don’t think they make the A318 any longer though. 319 would be perfect size.
@Eoin Roche: the runway at Baldonnel is sufficient for a 737-800 and in the past has accommodated much larger aircraft.
We the taxpayers will never see the inside of it. You might as well buy two of them.
@Observer: I hear everyone gets guided tours of Air Force One.
@Observer: The taxpayers children were brought to London for heart and lung transplant on numerous occasions by the government jet, Children and young adults were brought to Dublin hospitals from the four Corners of Ireland by the government jet and I am sure there are lots more that I I am on aware off
@George Demo: 100% George. And it’s also used to carry light freight as resupply to the smaller UN peacekeeping missions and along with the PC-12s, Covid tests to Germany and the likes.
Another Government jet… FFS
@Rhoda Cunningham: What do you mean? At the moment we have one small 18 year old one which is worn out? Where are you getting ‘another’ from?
@Rhoda Cunningham: so you’ll be against the government buying fighter jets also??
@Lucious Sweet: yes absolutely
Screw the new plane. Let them travel on a commercial flight like everyone.
@Dave Barrett: they do
@Dave Barrett: queue in Dublin Airport like the peasants who pay their wages
Definitely a priority at the moment
Lazy article I’m afraid ….
The photo is incorrect as the Government Jet is a Lear 45 not what’s shown.
The current Jet is used for far more than Govt movements. Air ambulance, repatriation, resupply, Covid19 sample transport, whatever else is going.
Ask anyone who has used the service how useful it has been to them and their family when short time emergency transfers are required.
Aircraft get old and parts become harder to source and operation costs increase.
Succession planning is a natural phenomena and we as a country need independence to react to situations rather than relying on outside assistance. That has a price
@Bo bo: first sensible comment on here!
Mary-Lou said “thanks boys”.
Hmm, the Gulfstream mentioned was sold after 25 years, this Learjet is going to up for sale after 17 years. There is something going wrong with things around sustainability messaging, when lifespans of anything are getting shorter, not longer.
Not even taking a poke at Gov. here,or jets, just a general trend that is so far off what should be happening.
Anything to avoid queuing at the Airports
I have a phone older than that that’s still working! Let them get an airship for short-haul flights.
I wonder how many Learjet a still operational globally, are these plane’s not serviceable?
@kevin mc cormack: Hundreds, but the type has been discontinued by its parent company, so both spare parts and the capacity to type-train new technicians is disappearing.
It’s only 18 years old…..I have worked o older! It may need a few upgrades but that is no reason to consider it end-of-life.
Let them fly commercial and join the back of the line like everyone else. After all their only public servants. Buy a proper air ambulance configuration aircraft and let it be used for people who really need to be flown private.
17 Year old plane. Ya I think it’s time for a new one. Even Air Force one has a life span.
@Malachy: The two planes serving in the Air Force One fleet today have been in service since 1990. So 32 years.
@David Ronan: 30 year service is around average for a 747.
Use Ryanair – climate change and footprints
Absolutely needs to be done ASAP, and purchase modern and reliable aircraft.
If they have a definite end of life date can we manage to squeeze the whole lot on to it.
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