Éamon Ó Cuív and the 10,000 euro chopper trip

[netron]

Via the Indo

Community and Gaeltacht Minister Eamon O Cuiv was in flying form yesterday as he arrived at a Cork gaeltacht in an Air Corps helicopter trip that cost the taxpayer €10,000 -- despite his own department facing closure.

An Bord Snip Nua recommends €5bn in cuts to government spending and many of Mr O Cuiv's gaeltacht and rural grants are also facing the axe.

But Mr O Cuiv arrived at Muskerry Gaeltacht to open the Ballingeary playground in a helicopter paid for by the Government -- and ultimately the taxpayer.

Mr O Cuiv bluntly refused to comment on the proposed abolition of his department. He said: "You can ask me the question as many times as you like but I am not going to comment on specifics of the report."

Mr O Cuiv also stressed that it was now time for everyone to "think of Ireland" in the drive to rectify the public finances.

[Panopticon]

How do they calculate the cost? Do they rent the helicopters or are they IDF owned?

[netron]

How do they calculate the cost? Do they rent the helicopters or are they IDF owned?

tail end of the article

The helicopter takes to the sky at an average hourly rate of €3,130 and spent three hours in the air yesterday.

i wonder where they get the €3130 figure from?

to be fair to O Cuiv, its an army helicopter - surely it doesnt cost 3130 euros per hour in fuel and manning costs? i mean , its army - so we're already paying for the pilot.

[Proposition Joe]

Ah shure lave mini-Dev alone.

He was only having a last play with the toy copter before he gets the boot.

Or is there a severance scheme for ministers that entitles them to a reducing number of flights in the year after losing office. So as to cushion the blow, like.

[Digout]

Further proof that the FF parasites need to be removed ASAP. Why cant he get a train like anybody else? Whats do special about this man? Does he think he is Cullen or Dempsey? Whoever authorised this flight should also be fired. The pilot should be disiplined also.

[Kf]

And to open a playground, yes thats correct a fcking playground.

[netron]

And to open a playground, yes thats correct a fcking playground.

jesus. yer right - i missed that.

what the f**k?????

[Digout]

And to open a playground, yes thats correct a fcking playground.

Its a joke. Its the tip of the iceberg. Yer one Larkin is still pocketing a load of cash from the NCA.

FF are really taking the piss at this stage.

[He3]

Playground for children, choppers for children who get on. What's to see?

Anyway they took so much flak over Cullen using the chopper to go for the milk and Express in his slippers that someone had to volunteer to borrow the thing.

[FakeViking]

Surely Dev Óg would have needed three choppers: one for himself, one for his arrogance and one for his pomposity.