Have Jet, Will Travail

This guy’s the limit…?

ealth minister Stephen Donnelly has come under fire after using the government jet for a routine EU meeting last month.

A journey for which an alternative commercial flight was available.

The Wicklow TD and four officials travelled on December 8th for a meeting in Brussels, with EU health ministers meeting on the 9th.

Talking to East Coast News, a spokesperson for Donnelly said that the government jet was used to facilitate the minister’s busy schedule, and that this was only the second time the TD had used the government jet since taking office.

Their official statement goes more than a little something like this…

The Government Jet was requested to facilitate the Minister’s busy diary commitments.

Within the delegation, the Minister was being supported by his Private secretary, along with a senior official from North-South, EU & International Unit, a senior official from the Medicines, Controlled Drugs and Pharmacy Legislation Unit, and a junior colleague for briefing and reporting support. No advisers travelled with the Minister.

The Minister’s official briefing for the event was scheduled to take place during the flight.

The Minister had a meeting at 8pm on the Thursday evening in Brussels and a number of bilateral engagements early on Friday morning before attending the EPSCO Council.

The Minister has only used the Government Jet twice since taking office over two and a half years ago.

Fellow Wicklow TD Jennifer Whitmore called for more transparency in such matters.