Costs of operating State jets decline

The costs of operating the two Government jets declined dramatically last year, new figures show.

The costs of operating the two Government jets declined dramatically last year, new figures show.

This follows figures confirming that the Fine Gael- Labour Government has used the Gulfstream IV and Learjet 45 aircraft on a much less frequent basis than its predecessor in the Fianna Fáil-led coalition.

According to information provided by Minister for Justice and Defence Alan Shatter, the cost of operating the Government’s Gulfstream IV and Learjet 45 aircraft last year totalled €637,095.

This compares to a cost of €1.8 million to operate the two jets in 2010 – a drop of 65 per cent.