Martin Cullen TD using Air Corp Helicopter as transport

kravmaga

What do folk think about the Air Corp helicopter being used by Martin Cullen TD as transport around the country whilst the country is in the grips of a recession?

Is the door falling off the new helicopter an omen for Cullen?

Latest from him, follow link

http://www.rte.ie/news/2009/0304/cullenm.html?RTEMAILID

Comments welcome

GerardKeating

blueeyedboy wrote: »

What do folk think about the Air Corp helicopter being used by Martin Cullen TD as transport around the country whilst the country is in the grips of a recession?

Is the door falling off the new helicopter an omen for Cullen?

Latest from him, follow link

http://www.rte.ie/news/2009/0304/cullenm.html?RTEMAILID

Comments welcome

I do not expect anythnig less from this shower...

Alun

blueeyedboy wrote: »

What do folk think about the Air Corp helicopter being used by Martin Cullen TD as transport around the country whilst the country is in the grips of a recession?

Complete non-story as usual. These things (aircraft in general, not just helicopters) cost shed loads of money in maintenance and ground crew costs even if they're not being used. Add on to that the pilots need to keep up their flying hours, they may as well keep up those hours ferrying ministers around (and saving them time so they can get more done) than on pointless practice flights.

Now, you might be better off arguing why we need the helicopters, or an Air Corps in the first place, but that's another argument altogether.

RobAMerc

the greens at east should be going nuts about this,there are perfectly good rail links to Kerry, although as everything in Ireland its one thing for us and another for them.

didn't bertie fly to belfast from dublin ffs - green house gasses me hole :rolleyes:

And Cullen et al are so utterly crap at his job the less things they attend in a day maybe the better off we are !

Alun

RobAMerc wrote: »

the greens at east should be going nuts about this,there are perfectly good rail links to Kerry, although as everything in Ireland its one thing for us and another for them.

But if they're flying anyway, for the reasons I gave above, then it makes no difference one way or another. Still, never let facts get in the way of a good rant, eh?

corktina

Alun wrote: »

Complete non-story as usual. These things (aircraft in general, not just helicopters) cost shed loads of money in maintenance and ground crew costs even if they're not being used. Add on to that the pilots need to keep up their flying hours, they may as well keep up those hours ferrying ministers around (and saving them time so they can get more done) than on pointless practice flights.

Now, you might be better off arguing why we need the helicopters, or an Air Corps in the first place, but that's another argument altogether.

im with you Alun....

Alun

corktina wrote: »

im with you Alun....

At last, someone with some sense.

localhothead

looks like the lads set the useless phuckwit up for a "little scare" though dont it ? pity it didnt go bad and the assh0le fell out .

shouldnt have messed with the paypackets ;_)

Victor

Alun wrote: »

Now, you might be better off arguing why we need the helicopters, or an Air Corps in the first place, but that's another argument altogether.

Those helicopters exist to train the army in helicopter operations for overseas service. They are also available to the ARW in the event of an incident that needs a quick / remote response.

Ministers could do much better in managing their time.

Alun

Victor wrote: »

Those helicopters exist to train the army in helicopter operations for overseas service. They are also available to the ARW in the event of an incident that needs a quick / remote response.

I know that ... It was a bit of a tongue-in-cheek comment. Maybe I should have added a smiley as well. What I meant to convey was that at least a (grown up) discussion as to the need for an Air Corps and what it's role should be might at least be a valid point for discussion rather than this non-story.

Victor

Also folks, can we keep the bile for elsewhere?

moceri

Was Monica Leech sitting next to him?

byhookorbycrook

Could he not have flown by plane from Waterford to Faranfore, if his time is really so precious?

Chris_533976

Aaaah Wikipedia

Martin Cullen (Irish: Máirtín Ó Cuilinn; born 2 November 1954) is a senior Irish Fianna Fáil politician. He was first elected as a Teachta Dála (TD) for Waterford in 1987 and is the current Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism. Cullen was previously a member of Seanad Éireann (1989–1992) and has also served as Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government (2002–2004), Minister for Transport (2004–2007) and Minister for Social & Family Affairs (2007–2008). Of all the current cabinet ministers, Martin Cullen has consistently attracted most criticism in opinion polls and in the Irish media for under-performance.[citation needed] In 2009 he fell out of a helicopter and banged his head.[1]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martin_Cullen

Bards

moceri wrote: »

Was Monica Leech sitting next to him?

be careful, she sued RTE and others for statements and inuendos like this

Judgement Day

What eejit bothered to strap the useless.....in? What a lost opportunity!:D

Innisfallen

Alun wrote: »

Complete non-story as usual. These things (aircraft in general, not just helicopters) cost shed loads of money in maintenance and ground crew costs even if they're not being used. Add on to that the pilots need to keep up their flying hours, they may as well keep up those hours ferrying ministers around (and saving them time so they can get more done) than on pointless practice flights.

Now, you might be better off arguing why we need the helicopters, or an Air Corps in the first place, but that's another argument altogether.

Ok, but the second helicopter that came to collect him after the incident was diverted from training in Cork (2 choppers were doing army training there). Surly the priority should be defense forces, then carting around ministers?

mysterious

Martin Cullen is a spastic.

He is a useless tool always left in a tool box. There is just no other word to decribe this spanner.

dowlingm

If only Cullen had been Min of Trans still to make the irony even more sharp.

That said, Waterford to Killarney is not a hugely convenient routing for public transport. There are not public flights, the shortest road route via the N72 is not served by public transport between Dungarvan and Mallow, the bus requires a change at Cork and the train two changes at LJ and Mallow. If ministerial time as actually worth something (let's pretend it does) then cutting several hours out of travel time is not insignificant.

This whole episode is one reason why I think the Air Corps HQ should be relocated to Shannon to, among other things, get their assets far away from Government Buildings... If the NS was HQ'd at North Wall and not Haulbowline I imagine the Ministers would be commandeering patrol vessels for coastal chicken suppers.