Ministerial trips on board Government jet drop by half

MINISTERS have been finding alternative travel arrangements to the Government jet, with new figures showing the number of trips on the Gulfstream have almost halved in the past two years.

Trips by ministers on the Government jet cost the taxpayer just over €2 million so far this year, compared to €3.1m in 2006.

The Gulfstream was involved in 54 missions in the first 11 months of this year, compared to 101 missions in 2006 and 78 last year.