Ahern's use of helicopter defended

Taoiseach Bertie Ahern used an Air Corps helicopter to fly from Dublin to Co Wicklow, at a cost of over €2,000, to unveil an award received by a hotel owned by a member of a family with Fianna Fáil connections.

It was one of 45 flights undertaken by the Taoiseach on State aircraft and helicopters last year at a cost of €643,000.

Mr Ahern's office has confirmed to The Irish Times that he travelled on September 8th last year on an Alouette helicopter to the Marriott Druid's Glen Hotel & Country Club near Newtownmountkennedy to unveil the hotel's AA 5 Star Award.

The hotel is owned by businessman Hugo Flinn whose family have been involved in the Fianna Fáil party for generations. Mr Flinn, who is now in his early 80s, has been involved in the party in Greystones.

A spokesman for Mr Ahern denied the function was a private one. He said the five star award represented a boost to Irish tourism. Mr Ahern attended hundreds of similar functions every year, the spokesman said.

He added: "Great care and attention is taken in relation to the Taoiseach's engagements to ensure that no impropriety of State funds occurs."

According to the Department of Defence, any Minister wishing to use a State aircraft or helicopter must lodge an initial request with the department. These are then considered by the Taoiseach for approval or rejection.

Hugo Flinn opened the Druid's Glen golf course and hotel in 1995. At the time he said the £12 million invested in the golf club had come from wealthy Nigerian backers who had hoped to retire to Ireland.

Mr Flinn's father, also called Hugo, was a former Fianna Fáil TD for Cork Borough from 1927 until his death in 1943 aged 63. In 1932 he was appointed parliamentary secretary to the then minister for finance Seán MacEntee in Éamon de Valera's first government.

The helicopter on which the Taoiseach travelled to Mr Flinn's hotel on September 8th left Casement Aerodrome Baldonnel and flew to Dublin airport, where it collected Mr Ahern, who at 1pm had officially opened a hardware store in Dublin 11.

He was then flown to Druid's Glen, one of the country's leading golf resorts which has hosted the Irish Open in the past.

After Mr Ahern addressed a function at the hotel at 2.30pm he was flown back to Dublin airport. The helicopter was then returned to its Baldonnel base.

According to records obtained from the Department of Defence Mr Ahern was on board the helicopter for 60 minutes at a cost of €1,400.

However, the helicopter would have flown for around 30 minutes from Baldonnel to Dublin and back again, putting the total cost of the flight at around €2,100.

Mr Ahern attended two other functions after his return to Dublin. At 6pm he presented certificates to the winners of the Central Areas Tidy Districts 2005 in the Gresham Hotel.

At 7pm he officially opened Beggsboro AFC's ground in Coláiste Eanna, Dublin 7.