Thousands spent to fly Taoiseach around Europe as government jet deemed unreliable

Picture: Óglaigh na hÉireann

The Government is exploring options to buy or lease a new jet to allow the Taoiseach and ministers to attend important international events.

This is part of a wider review of the Defence Forces but comes amid “mounting issues” with the current jet which is nearing the end of its natural working life.

The Learjet currently has reduced availability and its lack of reliability has continued into 2022. It has been unavailable for 35% of the year to date, it has emerged.

“While back-up service is sometimes provided by the Air Corps in the form of CASA fisheries patrol aircraft when other operational demands permit, these aircraft have also faced ongoing challenges,” the defence forces have said.

Speaking at a Cabinet briefing for political correspondents, a government spokesman said the review is underway in light of the reduced reliability and “all options” are on the table including either the purchase of a suitable plane or the leasing of one.

Confirming the increased unreliability of the jet, a Department of Defence spokeswoman said: “The Air Corps Learjet was purchased new in 2004, has been in operation for seventeen years and is approaching its natural end of life.

Taoiseach Micheál Martin and his team were left “stranded” in Brussels after an Air Corps aircraft scheduled to fly them home went out of service at the last minute.

The Department of Defence were told they had twice in quick succession been unable to support the Taoiseach for strategically important EU and international engagements.

In emails, senior officials at the Taoiseach’s department said the latest breakdown marked a “further deterioration” in the service being provided for flying ministers around the globe.

Taoiseach Micheál Martin and his team were left “stranded” in Brussels after an Air Corps aircraft scheduled to fly them home went out of service at the last minute. Picture: AP Photo/Geert Vanden Wijngaert

An email from a senior official in their Europe Unit and International Unit said: “This morning, the Taoiseach was delayed by a number of hours returning from Brussels as the CASA went out of service, stranding the Taoiseach outside of the country.

“This week marks a further deterioration in the Ministerial Air Transport Service, which was not able on either occasion to support strategically important EU and international engagements by the Taoiseach.” 

Further complications also arose when it emerged that a member of the flight crew for the return voyage had tested positive for Covid-19.

An internal email said: “All crew members were masked throughout the mission.” Mr Martin had wanted to use the government jet to fly him and his delegation to Brussels on February 24 for an emergency meeting of EU leaders about the war in Ukraine.

The Taoiseach had also planned to travel directly to his constituency in Cork on the return leg.

The Government was forced to shell out thousands of euro to fly Mr Martin around Europe recently because the Learjet was deemed unreliable.

Civil servants hired a Cessna Citation CJ3 business jet to ferry Mr Martin to talks in France and England in March. It is understood the cost of hiring the 2008-registered jet for the trips was at least €15,000.

The plane was hired because the Government jet was not deemed reliable for flights.

There have been issues with the Learjet for several months and the Air Corps has been using its CASA maritime patrol aircraft to ferry VIPs around Europe on trips.