Government to spend €80m on jets despite cuts

THE Government sparked uproar by announcing plans to spend up to €80 million on two new corporate jets, at a time of major cutbacks in the public services.

The dwindling public finances, pay freezes and budgetary cutbacks did not put off Fianna Fáil and the Progressive Democrats from plans to triple their fleet of Government jets to have more than €100 million of aircraft at their disposal.

The decision made by the Cabinet yesterday sparked fury from opposition parties, who slammed it as a lavish outlay that showed the Government’s real priorities.