O Cuív slated for chopper trip to Gaeltacht

A GOVERNMENT minister was slated last night for arriving by helicopter in a Gaeltacht region to open a playground.

But an island community leader defended Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs Minister Éamon O Cuív, and his use of the Air Corps aircraft yesterday.

Mr O Cuív travelled to Cork and Kerry for a series of engagements, including visits to two islands.

He landed just after 11am in the mid-Cork Gaeltacht of Béal Átha an Ghaorthaidh (Ballingeary) to open a playground before flying to Bere Island for a meeting, then to Cape Clear to officially open a new €300,000 helipad, then on to Kerry to open the Corca Dhuibhne Way and attend more meetings.

Cork North West Fine Gael TD, Michael Creed, described the landing in Ballingeary as “outrageous” in the wake of the Bord Snip report.

“For a minister to arrive in a helicopter into a rural Gaeltacht parish, that will suffer on the double due to the cuts proposed in agriculture and Roinn na Gaeltachta, goes beyond the realms of acceptability,” he said.

“It is often said that this Government is arrogant and out of touch. Today’s display by O Cuív is clear evidence of how true that is.”

Mr Creed said the cost of transporting the minister by helicopter, coupled with the cost of running a State car, could have helped pay for the playground he opened.

However, Micheál O Cadagain, manager of Cape Clear’s co-op, Comhaircumann Oileán Chléire, said he was very disappointed with Mr Creed’s comments.

“I understand how tight money is but these comments are just nasty.

“The minister was on Cape Clear to open our helipad which is for emergencies. You must remember that the minister visited two islands yesterday. There is no way in God’s earth that he could have done it without a helicopter. It just shows how little Mr Creed understands about island life.”