Enda Kenny USA visit flight cost €66,325 euro

the culture of deference

The cost of flying Taoiseach, Enda Kenny to the United States on the Government Gulfstream IV - under the Ministerial Air Transport Service provided by the Air Corps - was an estimated €66,325. This cost was borne by the Department of Defence.

So there you go, the equivalent of 660 households who paid tax.

What a waste

statss

why is it a waste? do you know what was achieved in the US and the relative value of it compared to the flight cost?

Dyr

You know how many govts would pay 5 times that for the opportunity of a PR event like this with Presidente Obama?

Our lot waste money on lots of things but this is not one of them

forfuxsake

the culture of deference wrote: »

The cost of flying Taoiseach, Enda Kenny to the United States on the Government Gulfstream IV - under the Ministerial Air Transport Service provided by the Air Corps - was an estimated €66,325. This cost was borne by the Department of Defence.

So there you go, the equivalent of 6,600 households who paid tax.

What a waste

Not a fan of Fine Gael, not a fan of Enda, not a fan of the household tax.

but in fairness if it brings inward investment of €66,326+ then it won't have been a waste

Tipsy McSwagger

Trying to get american businesses to invest in Ireland and create much needed jobs is hardly a waste.

AngryBollix

Still cheaper than delta

44leto

Not really, it was an official state visit, he would fly there with a full staff of about 20 people and you can't expect him to hop off a budget carrier in JFK to get a link to Washington to meet a president who is on a very tight schedule.

These trips are good for promoting Ireland this was not a waste of tax payers money and a responsible way to use the government jet.

paddy147

Why did Enda take a normal economy class plane flight and then a train to Europe last year then for a big fancy meeting???

Sky King

the culture of deference wrote: »

The cost of flying Taoiseach, Enda Kenny to the United States on the Government Gulfstream IV - under the Ministerial Air Transport Service provided by the Air Corps - was an estimated €66,325. This cost was borne by the Department of Defence.

So there you go, the equivalent of 6,600 households who paid tax.

What a waste

66,000 / 100 = 660

mikemac1

Councillors taking their wives and husbands to Boston and Chicago and elsewhere for St Patricks weekend is a waste of money, rate payers paying for their holidays while the councils go broke


This however OP was not a waste of money and was very high profile, seen around the world

kraggy

Just because it may bring new investment does not negate the fact that even if he had flown First Class with Virgin Atlantic we'd still have saved thousands of euro as a country.

The invesment can still come if he flies with an airline.

Johnny Bitte

Hold on what the **** cost €66+????

Not complaining about the trip over but **** me is there some break down of that?

Feeona

the culture of deference wrote: »

So there you go, the equivalent of 6,600 households who paid tax.

What frigging pisses me off is the amount of people who said they wouldn't pay the household charage but did in the end because well 'you never know'.

These were probably the same people who told everyone in college 'Yah I don't go to lectures or study' while all the time they were furiously studying.


A portion of people I do not like to be around.

Pompey Magnus

Yes but OP the rich American investors will have seen David Cameron arrive in America a few days earlier on a run of the mill BA flight and will compare that to Inda and his entourage arriving in our very own Government Jet and that will definitely fool them into thinking we are super rich again and hey presto $$$$ for us!

Isn't that the whole point of the waste of money that is the Government jet?

partyatmygaff

Of all the things to complain about this has to be the most ridiculous and poorly thought out.

€66,325 is not a lot of money to spend to organise a meeting with the president of one of the world's most economically powerful countries. Coming in with a state-owned private jet gives off a much different image than flying in with an airline. For a small country like Ireland image can mean quite a bit in attracting investment.

admiralofthefleet

statss wrote: »

why is it a waste? do you know what was achieved in the US and the relative value of it compared to the flight cost?

American companies have no interest in Ireland, and never have. they set up here because of a low tax base then once incentives run out they move to another country where they can pay lower wages

mikemac1

The pilots are already employed

I also would like to see a breakdown of that figure
Fuel, landing fees, what else?

44leto

Barack this is Enda I am delayed at customs in JFK so don't put the kettle on yet but I'lll probably see yah before the "tend" of Paddy's day,

"Cool Enda, I will just put off the meeting with the joint chiefs and wait for yee!"

Fart

Could he not have used Skype?

suicide_circus

kraggy wrote: »

Just because it may bring new investment does not negate the fact that even if he had flown First Class with Virgin Atlantic we'd still have saved thousands of euro as a country.

The invesment can still come if he flies with an airline.

Nonsense, enda kenny is a VERY important man, he cannot be expected to take a normal flight along with us sh¡t munchers. And sure, isnt it only tax payers money? Sure didnt they invented a 'household charge' there recently? Loads of cash to splash so there is!

suicide_circus

44leto wrote: »

Barack this is Enda I am delayed at customs in JFK so don't put the kettle on yet but I'lll probably see yah before the "tend" of Paddy's day,

"Cool Enda, I will just put off the meeting with the joint chiefs and wait for yee!"

Unlikely he would get delayed by customs with his diplomatic immunity.

rgmmg

forfuxsake wrote: »

Not a fan of Fine Gael, not a fan of Enda, not a fan of the household tax.

but in fairness if it brings inward investment of €66,326+ then it won't have been a waste

I think it was a single ticket, so we're quids in already

44leto

suicide_circus wrote: »

Unlikely he would get delayed by customs with his diplomatic immunity.

Really, put your irony radar on.

suicide_circus

44leto wrote: »

Really, put your irony radar on.

My irony radar? Dont have one I'm afraid. My arsehole radar is going off like crazy though....

poisonated

It is fairly pricey. I don't see how it could cost that much money. It could be a worthy investment but I think that it could have been done on a much smaller budget.

the groutch

44leto wrote: »

Barack this is Enda I am delayed at customs in JFK so don't put the kettle on yet but I'lll probably see yah before the "tend" of Paddy's day,

"Cool Enda, I will just put off the meeting with the joint chiefs and wait for yee!"

he didnt even visit Barack on Paddy's Day

johngalway

admiralofthefleet wrote: »

American companies have no interest in Ireland, and never have. they set up here because of a low tax base then once incentives run out they move to another country where they can pay lower wages

That would be their interest then :rolleyes:

SEPT 23 1989

The current American administration is no friend of Ireland

problemchimp

the culture of deference wrote: »

The cost of flying Taoiseach, Enda Kenny to the United States on the Government Gulfstream IV - under the Ministerial Air Transport Service provided by the Air Corps - was an estimated €66,325. This cost was borne by the Department of Defence.

So there you go, the equivalent of 6,600 households who paid tax.

What a waste

Link?

44leto

Originally Posted by admiralofthefleet
American companies have no interest in Ireland, and never have. they set up here because of a low tax base then once incentives run out they move to another country where they can pay lower wages

The last figure I heard was 120,000 people in Ireland work directly for American companies in Ireland. That is a lot of employment even if what you say was the case.

partyatmygaff

admiralofthefleet wrote: »

American companies have no interest in Ireland, and never have. they set up here because of a low tax base then once incentives run out they move to another country where they can pay lower wages

Surely one of the only reasons for a business being interested in opening in a foreign country is for reduced tax expenditure? I mean, what other reason would a company commit to foreign investment. It's not as if our culture will interest them.

sbsquarepants

statss wrote: »

why is it a waste? do you know what was achieved in the US and the relative value of it compared to the flight cost?

Bambi wrote: »

You know how many govts would pay 5 times that for the opportunity of a PR event like this with Presidente Obama?

Our lot waste money on lots of things but this is not one of them

forfuxsake wrote: »

Not a fan of Fine Gael, not a fan of Enda, not a fan of the household tax.

but in fairness if it brings inward investment of €66,326+ then it won't have been a waste

Tipsy McSwagger wrote: »

Trying to get american businesses to invest in Ireland and create much needed jobs is hardly a waste.

Have any of you heard of aer lingus?
€66k to fly to that tosser to america is fúcking ridiculous. If they had of left him there it would have money well spent though!

Born to Die

I can't believe that people are defending the cost of the flight. The reason for the trip is a good one but it is to be expected that the leader of this country would be breaking down the doors in any country that can provide investment and employment in this country.

What is not expected is to be preaching austerity to the rest of us while using public finances in this way. Travel on an airline and put the money saved towards, I don't know, maybe an extra bed in a hospital or a special needs assistant in a school.

Dubit10

the culture of deference wrote: »

The cost of flying Taoiseach, Enda Kenny to the United States on the Government Gulfstream IV - under the Ministerial Air Transport Service provided by the Air Corps - was an estimated €66,325. This cost was borne by the Department of Defence.

So there you go, the equivalent of 6,600 households who paid tax.

What a waste

Agreed it's disgusting and over the top. Aer lingus and other airlines run flights from Dublin to the States on a daily basis. This is just another sign of how out of touch the government is with the average person.

Mammanabammana

I love it when an OP starts a thread to try to get everybody worked up, doesn't think it through and gets ripped to shreds.

Dubit10

admiralofthefleet wrote: »

American companies have no interest in Ireland, and never have. they set up here because of a low tax base then once incentives run out they move to another country where they can pay lower wages

This. And it's only a matter of time before the rulers from Europe bring us all into line with an overall corp tax rate and then they'll be otta here like a light.

Freddie59

statss wrote: »

why is it a waste? do you know what was achieved in the US and the relative value of it compared to the flight cost?

It's a fcuking waste. Full stop. Posturing and posing as all have done before him. The same would have been achieved through a normal (even business class) flight. Lead by example.

Freddie59

Mammanabammana wrote: »

I love it when an OP starts a thread to try to get everybody worked up, doesn't think it through and gets ripped to shreds.

BS. He's pointing out the obvious. There is nothing to "think through".:rolleyes:

partyatmygaff

sbsquarepants wrote: »

Have any of you heard of aer lingus?
€66k to fly to that tosser to america is fúcking ridiculous. If they had of left him there it would have money well spent though!

The difference in image is huge. When you're trying to promote business in your country arriving in a government jet gives off a much more impressive image than arriving in an A330 alongside people going on their holidays.

Besides, we have a government jet. If we're not going to use it for something as relatively important as this, what exactly is it going to be used for?

Born to Die

partyatmygaff wrote: »

The difference in image is huge. When you're trying to promote business in your country arriving in a government jet gives off a much more impressive image than arriving in an A330 alongside people going on their holidays.

Besides, we have a government jet. If we're not going to use it for something as relatively important as this, what exactly is it going to be used for?

Sell it or free flights for our ever growing emigrant numbers, it is as much theirs as the governments.

I used to work for a American Corporation and one of the first cuts made in the downturn was travel. If travel was required you had to ensure that you used the cheapest available option. The balance sheet doesn't look good then the expenditure needs trimming and by God our balance sheet as a country is not good.

Just to add that we will never get out of this mess if there are people out there, that can, after all that has gone on still defend this detached exploitation of public money.

It is just another example of the cloak and dagger sh1te that goes on in this country where politicians play politics to suit their own needs. we had it with the Celtic Tiger, the constant reduction in income tax was used to keep the masses distracted to what is really going on, very much the same with the Property Tax, another smoke screen as this weeks political scandal fades into the majority of people's memories.

Mammanabammana

Freddie59 wrote: »

BS. He's pointing out the obvious. There is nothing to "think through".:rolleyes:

I still love it. I don't care who's right or wrong. I'm kind of anarchistic like that.

Also, if it's THAT obvious, how come there are so many valid points to the contrary?

Logical Fallacy

Sky King wrote: »

66,000 / 100 = 660

If that money had been put into the education system the OP might know some maths.

Pompey Magnus

partyatmygaff wrote: »

The difference in image is huge. When you're trying to promote business in your country arriving in a government jet gives off a much more impressive image than arriving in an A330 alongside people going on their holidays.

If British Airways is good enough for the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, the 7th largest economy in the world, then Aer Lingus should be fine for a bankrupt state like Ireland.

Besides, we have a government jet. If we're not going to use it for something as relatively important as this, what exactly is it going to be used for?

Sell it off. If they in such a bad financial state that they are willing to sell off Coillte then there is no justification for keeping a luxury like a Government jet.

partyatmygaff

Pompey Magnus wrote: »

If British Airways is good enough for the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, the 7th largest economy in the world, then Aer Lingus should be fine for a bankrupt state like Ireland.

British Airways is a relatively "high end" airline. Aer Lingus on the other hand is known for mainly competing with the likes of Ryanair and Easyjet.

Just because we're bankrupt doesn't mean we should send our representatives on a US mission. We need to look the part to attract business.

Sell it off. If they in such a bad financial state that they are willing to sell off Coillte then there is no justification for keeping a luxury like a Government jet.

The thread's about his recent visit to the US. As it stands, they had the jet at the time and they used it appropriately as far as i'm concerned.

sbsquarepants

partyatmygaff wrote: »

The difference in image is huge. When you're trying to promote business in your country arriving in a government jet gives off a much more impressive image than arriving in an A330 alongside people going on their holidays.

Besides, we have a government jet. If we're not going to use it for something as relatively important as this, what exactly is it going to be used for?

Image my arse! No one in America gives a flying fúck how he got to the country!
I doubt Obama was waiting for him at the airport with his name on a card anyway. Enda's a liar, a robber and a squanderer plain and simple, just like the many liars, robbers and squanderers before him. He treats taxpayers money like its monopoly money. €700 a night hotel room while he's sucking up to Merkel and co telling them everyone in Ireland went mad spending money they didn't have! When enda goes on holidays out of his own money do you reckon he stays in €700 a night hotels? I wouldn't be surprised if he stopped off for a few charvet shirts on his way home.
He's an asshole.

frank9901

think of the money he saved on government levy and check in charges

clever man our edna

ejmaztec

I have a sneaky feeling that the only deals Enda and the rest of the "Paddy's Day Piss-Up Jaunters" came back with, were the ones they picked up in the duty-free shop.

stimpson

A Gulfstream VI seats 16 people. Works out at about €4K per head

Dublin to Washington on Lufthansa Business Class works out at €3200 and takes 13 hours with a stopover in London.

Don't forget he went to New York too.

Mammanabammana

sbsquarepants wrote: »

Image my arse! No one in America gives a flying fúck how he got to the country!
I doubt Obama was waiting for him at the airport with his name on a card anyway. Enda's a liar, a robber and a squanderer plain and simple, just like the many liars, robbers and squanderers before him. He treats taxpayers money like its monopoly money. €700 a night hotel room while he's sucking up to Merkel and co telling them everyone in Ireland went mad spending money they didn't have! When enda goes on holidays out of his own money do you reckon he stays in €700 a night hotels? I wouldn't be surprised if he stopped off for a few charvet shirts on his way home.
He's an asshole.

Yes but if he arrived into JFK on a budget airline you can be sure that plenty of people on both sides of the Atlantic WOULD have given a flying fuck and had a field day slamming him and the country for the Paddy way of doing things.

The government's haemorrhaging of money while they continually rape the taxpayer and the vulnerable of society is disgusting and immoral. But the St Patrick's day Taoiseach's trip to the US has been a high profile state visit for many years. It's one of the few areas where a statesman (which, like it or not, Enda Kenny is) is expected to behave like a statesman. And tbh, if the government wasn't making such a mess of things in so many other areas at home, this would be considered money well spent in terms of the profile it creates of the country and the potential it creates for investment, businesses and possible employment here.

UglyBolloxFace

partyatmygaff wrote: »

one of the world's most economically powerful countries.

The USA? Are you serious?

Min

The state owns a share of Aer Lingus who fly to the USA, nothing wrong with economy class and they provide great care, great fare...