Charlie’s Grand Plan

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Minister for Foreign Affairs Charlie Flanagan’s proposed trip, and Mr Flanagan

Freedom of Information sleuth Ken Foxe writes:

Foreign Affairs minister Charlie Flanagan had his wings clipped by the Department of the Taoiseach after requesting use of the government jet for an epic voyage to a conference in Asia.

Mr Flanagan had sought use of the government’s €3,780-an-hour Learjet for a trip to Ulaanbaatar, which would have involved no less than eight separate individual flights.

The minister was planning to attend an Asia-Europe conference in Mongolia but was in a rush back to Europe to attend a meeting in Brussels, FOI documents have shown.

To try and fit both events in, the Department of Foreign Affairs came up with a convoluted flight plan which would have taken Mr Flanagan first to Finland, before two separate stop-overs in Russia, before final arrival in Mongolia fourteen hours later.

The government’s only executive aircraft – an €8 million Learjet – has a flying range that brings it just three hours in the air before it requires refuelling.

Department of Taoiseach refuse Minister Charlie Flanagan’s request for €90k flight on government jet to Mongolia (Ken Foxe)

Pics: Ken Foxe, Rollingnews

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28 thoughts on “Charlie’s Grand Plan

  1. Darren

    What’s the point in having an €8million jet at all if it only has a 3hr range? Would this be normal for these jets?

    Anyone know what happens when Enda visits The States?

  2. nellyb

    Charlie and family can have the jet for a year to themselves if he secures us a billion dollar contract in the New Silk Road. We’re missing the gig, lads.

  3. Otis Blue

    We can only imagine the sterling contribution that the bould Charlie would make to the Asia-Europe conference.

    Arise Mountmellick and take your place amongst the nations of the the earth!!!

  4. garthicus

    I did a quick Skyscanner search for those dates, I went large and gave him business class flights, cheapest flight came to €2,409 taxes included. Dublin – London – Moscow – Ulaanbaatar, 15hrs 20 mins travel time.

    1. Rob_G

      Which part? He asked, and was duly refused.

      I’m not sure what the hoo-haa is about; the fact that the request was declined seems to show that the checks and balances are working on this occasion.

      1. Are you all really Stu Pidd?

        The fact that he had the brass neck/ego/stupidity to ask in the first place, obviously

  5. Cool_Hand_Lucan

    Playing devil’s advocate, he’d probably have an aid or two and an advisor on the gov jet so it might cost €10,000.

    Still a lot less than 90g

      1. Neilo

        @Old Boy: Mouton-Cadet? Thanks be to Gods, I was getting tired of the actually good red wine they used to serve on Eire Force One. Nice to see economies are being made!

  6. Truth in the News

    We need to get a bigger jet, or fit additional fuel tanks, or better still leave Charlie there and
    get him to thumb a lift back.

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