Presidential use of jet: Costly flight of fancy

It is not only the question of airports which stimulate political rows. As we witnessed during the rapidly closing presidential election, the use of jets by our leaders also raises the collective blood pressure.

The President’s utilisation of the Government’s Learjet and the cost of using it appears to be a State secret, but helpful experts with calculators and a thorough knowledge of the jet’s fuel consumption have estimated that President Michael D Higgins’ return flight to Belfast in May resulted in a charge to the public purse of approximately €5,670, to which can be added the cost of having his official car driven from Dublin to meet him at Belfast Airport.