Government jet flies Elie on mission of mercy

IT’S been hailed as a classic waste of taxpayers’ money, but yesterday the government jet was put to a use no-one with a heart would object to.

Instead of its usual cargo of ministerial high-fliers, the Gulfstream IV departed Baldonnel for Boston with one-year-old Elie Madden, her family and specialist medical team on board.

The half-twin, who lives in Santry Cross, Dublin, was transported to the US for surgery to address a 6cm gap between her oesophagus and her stomach.