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  • New Lear Jet arrives

    Government to get new €8m jet

    December 17, 2003

    (15:25) The Minister for Defence has said that a new, eight-seat Learjet 45 is due to join the Ministerial Air Transport Fleet later this week.

    Michael Smith told young officers at a commissioning ceremony at Baldonnel that contrary to media reports, the jet is not a luxury item but rather an essential tool for the upcoming EU Presidency.

    He said that at a net cost of €8 million the aircraft is excellent value for money and, as it was funded from savings made from within the Defence Department's budget, it is not costing the Irish taxpayer an extra penny.


    Mr Smith said that for the next six months, Ministers, Ministers of State and their officials will be obliged to attend literally hundreds of meetings across Europe, while at the same time, trying to manage their Departments and deliver for Ireland.

    He said they will have responsibility for the political management and well being of over 380 million people.

    The Minister said that through its involvement in the flying and maintenance of the Government's Air Transport Service, the Air Corps will be playing an essential and crucial role in Ireland's EU Presidency.
    www.twitter.com/mickthehack


  • #2
    Just to add, apparently Learjet 45s have been grounded a number of times in the last year for safety reasons by the FAA in the US.
    www.twitter.com/mickthehack

    Comment


    • #3
      Re: New ministerial jet

      Originally posted by Dublinmick

      Michael Smith told young officers at a commissioning ceremony at Baldonnel that contrary to media reports, the jet is not a luxury item but rather an essential tool for the upcoming EU Presidency.
      Wow, does that mean then that they can have essential tools like maybe, some helicopters?????
      Meh.

      Comment


      • #4
        What about the opportunity cost of not buying LTV's/helicopters/etc.?

        Comment


        • #5
          Did no one pick up on the fact that it has come out of the Defence budget. That means less man days etc.
          If your not in bed by 4 o' clock it's time to go home!

          Comment


          • #6
            Reporting on RTE news this evening, Smith is putting out a tender early next year for a light helicopter to replace the Alloutee, and dauphin. No mention of the possible replacements. Worst case scenario is that we end up with the squirrel.

            Comment


            • #7
              Worst case? Man, having the Squirrel would imply we actually get the helicopters. There's worse than getting a mediocre piece of equipment....

              Perhaps we should begin a campaign as a bunch of concerned citizens/taxpayers and advocate either the 212 or the Mi-17????

              Worth a shot.

              -Y
              Meh.

              Comment


              • #8
                Well as i mentioned elsewhere,not having SAR as a role for these proposed helis,will open us up to other options.


                Catch-22 says they have a right to do anything we can't stop them from doing.

                Comment


                • #9
                  He said they will have responsibility for the political management and well being of over 380 million people.

                  Thats the scariest thing I've ever read on this board.

                  I wonder if theres a terrorist threat will Smith ask the Russians to defend NATO
                  sigpic
                  Say NO to violence against Women

                  Originally posted by hedgehog
                  My favourite moment was when the
                  Originally posted by hedgehog
                  red headed old dear got a smack on her ginger head

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Well the Launch tomorrow will be a bit of a saga, there is no Tow - Bar tug extension (thingy forget the proper name) so the Jet cannot be towed around, a freight coy in the US has lost it and Can't find it!

                    Friends Come and Go, but Enemies accumulate!!

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Its gonna have to sit on the ramp and rust so.....


                      Catch-22 says they have a right to do anything we can't stop them from doing.

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        I cant believe that some p*ssheads on other boards i wont mention here, are moaning that the money should have been spent on the dept of health or education... FFS how many times must they demand more money thos depts are f*cking black holes sucking all the cash out of this country, they couldnt find their own arses with a map!!!

                        GRR MAKES ME MAD!!!

                        The bloody defence forces have paid for this glorified limo, they could have used that money to buy decent SAR helicopters, or a few more personell carriers or even put it towards a much needed naval vessel, instead,the money they earned by selling off some of theyre unused land has paid for it.

                        It hasnt come directly out of your pocket, it hasnt come from the new budget, ive yet to see another govt dept fund its own equipment? And the Defence forces are lucky it was only an 8 seater and not the airbus or 737 that bertie was wishing for.

                        The Dept of defence is a dept that runs on unbelievably tight belts already, in a western state it is unheard of a 1st world country to spendless than 0.5% GDP on a 3rd world defence, (the average by other neutrals and by neutral i mean constitutionally which we are not, is around 2 or 4%)

                        If Irish people new how really vulnerable and ill equipped our army,navy and air corps is, they would be crying out, not because of the money being spent in the wrong department but because it is mis-spent on the wrong equipment, the defence forces have been backed into a corner by the govt over this private jet issue and its a coup that they have managed to keep the damage done to a scarce 8m euro.

                        AND no we DONT need another jet, Bertie SHOULD travel on the national carrier, indeed the funding put into AerLingus over the years by the state should have paid enough for them to always lay on at least a 737 for the govt for free whenever it is required.

                        Yes i KNOW we have a neutral defence policy (note WE ARE NOT CONSTITUTIONALY NEUTRAL ) so do a number of other european countries, yet unlikje our neutral partners, we must constantly rely on allies to defend our skies and to pull drowning seamen from our waters.

                        Surely you, the people of Ireland, agree that we should have the right equipment, training, manpower and funding to look after ourselves or we will never ever be able to stand up and say "no, we dont agree with what your doing, because we are neutral." ???


                        The health service is in a sh*te state due to unbelieveably bad mis-management, to compare its costs with that of the dept of defence is a joke, and NOT an argument, the ammount of money pumped into that hole of a dept could easily supply the aircorps witha fleet of aircraft that would be used as air ambulance, air sea rescue and the irish men and women in the army, when on peace keeping missions, would know that on a moments notice they could be air-evacuated if anything should go t*ts up.

                        The dept of defence has more or less had no choice in replacing the old aircraft and they have done well in keeping costs down, dont knock them, and dont worry about your pocket change, the dept of health would do well if the govt pumped the money from the increase in fags into yet another whitepaper this time on their dept. the health boards (note the plural in a state half the size of the UK we have 5 or more) should be amalgamated and streamlined. I could go on but i wont, we dont need the jet and the dept of defence didnt need to pick up the costs. INDEED i think that we the irish people SHOULD have paid for it seperate from the defence forces own meagre paltry budget.

                        My 2c.

                        "He is an enemy officer taken in battle and entitled to fair treatment."
                        "No, sir. He's a sergeant, and they don't deserve no respect at all, sir. I should know. They're cunning and artful, if they're any good. I wouldn't mind if he was an officer, sir. But sergeants are clever."

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          i think that was more like €2


                          Catch-22 says they have a right to do anything we can't stop them from doing.

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Originally posted by Goldie fish
                            Well as i mentioned elsewhere,not having SAR as a role for these proposed helis,will open us up to other options.
                            What other option
                            If your not in bed by 4 o' clock it's time to go home!

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Originally posted by The Joker
                              What other option
                              More militarily oriented taskings for these helos.

                              Comment

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