Micheal Martin's €30k bill

fermanagh_man

Martin clocked up €30,000 bill jetting home to Cork

Any guess who paid for it??

http://m.independent.ie/irish-news/politics/highflying-martin-clocked-up-30000-bill-jetting-home-to-cork-30409100.html

ArtyC

Why did I open this, it's 9am on Sunday morning....

Lucifer MorningStar

fermanagh_man wrote: »

Martin clocked up €30,000 bill jetting home to Cork

Any guess who paid for it??

http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/politics/highflying-martin-clocked-up-30000-bill-jetting-home-to-cork-30409100.htm

Us

DEFTLEFTHAND

Twee Higgins fired up the government jet to go to a function in Derry recently, god only knows what that cost, socialist lib living it large, why can't the small creature just take a car?

jellyboy

Your link is like the story,up in the clouds

Before you open the doors to the thread ,make sure you have the key

jellyboy

ArtyC wrote: »

Why did I open this, it's 9am on Sunday morning....

Personal issues thread that way >>>>>>

henryporter

That link not working for me. Typical two face Martin, with his goldfish memory, pontificating in the Dail on a regular basis about the state of the country, when him and his ilk created the mess. Expect to see him and his Fianna Failures back in a government near you sometime soon, thanks to an equally ignorant and backward electorate.

Arthur Beesley

DEFTLEFTHAND wrote: »

Twee Higgins fired up the government jet to go to a function in Derry recently, god only knows what that cost, socialist lib living it large, why can't the small creature just take a car?

Michael D Hobbit? They should have posted him up.

delahuntv

266 retun flights over 5 years comes to about €112 per return flight.

I wouldn't call that excessive, but the indo creates the hysterical headline as usual.

Work out the additional cost of a driver bringing him to Cork and the driver staying overnight or having to return to colect him. Basic math would shos that taking the flight and beng collected by his missus was far more economical.

But the "30k on flights" hysterical headline is what some will read without doing a basic calculation.

btw - as they were not business class seats or the cost per return flight was quite reasonable, this info was handily ommitted as it just wouldn't match the headline

Sunnyisland

I can see this thread flying out of here...

MRnotlob606

fianna fail scumbag

Wicklowrider

delahuntv wrote: »

266 retun flights over 5 years comes to about €112 per return flight.

No way that figure takes in the real cost.

If anyone could operate flights to cork from Dublin at €112 euros they would be booked out fulltime. €112 euros - would that even cover the fuel? It certainly does not cover the crews wages, ground crews wages, maintenance and the cost of the lease/purchase of the aircraft.

More jiggerypokery..

antodeco

I never noticed how much he looks like my doctor!

Donkey Oaty

Wicklowrider wrote: »

No way that figure takes in the real cost.

These were commercial flights, not on a private jet.

However, the phrase "jetting" away suggests a carefree holiday with the implied squandering of public money that is necessary to induce outrage in Indo readers. By some of the comments on this thread, it seems to work.

mikemac1

Wicklowrider wrote: »

No way that figure takes in the real cost.

If anyone could operate flights to cork from Dublin at €112 euros they would be booked out fulltime. €112 euros - would that even cover the fuel? It certainly does not cover the crews wages, ground crews wages, maintenance and the cost of the lease/purchase of the aircraft.

More jiggerypokery..

He flew commercial. Ryanair used to fly Dublin to Cork, I don't know if they do anymore.

The article mentions several times he flew commercial. The same as the rest of us.

This is a non story, you'd think he was flying in a Donald Trump style private jet the way it's getting spun here

Buzz Killington the third

30k over 266 flights... Sensationalist headlines are their best. Might as well say that politicians get paid millions and then breaking it down in small print that it's the total wages over a 5 year period for x amount of TDs.

Guy:Incognito

Wicklowrider wrote: »

No way that figure takes in the real cost.

If anyone could operate flights to cork from Dublin at €112 euros they would be booked out fulltime. €112 euros - would that even cover the fuel? It certainly does not cover the crews wages, ground crews wages, maintenance and the cost of the lease/purchase of the aircraft.

More jiggerypokery..

If it's a private plane with just him on it for 112 then no it wouldn't cover the costs. Planes don't operate like taxis though. Lots of people paying 112 may well cover the price of the flight just fine.

TheDriver

Disappointing to hear headlines like this when as other posters have said the true reality. I am all for transparency but this is pointless non news-the man flew home which probably worked out much cheaper

Wicklowrider

Donkey Oaty wrote: »

These were commercial flights, not on a private jet.

Note to self : don't try to be smart early on Sunday

DellyBelly

It's a disgrace that us tax payers have to fork out for these private flights for politicians. It makes my blood boil. I bet he doesn't even feel guilty about using the government jet.

harney

DellyBelly wrote: »

It's a disgrace that us tax payers have to fork out for these private flights for politicians. It makes my blood boil. I bet he doesn't even feel guilty about using the government jet.

I know what you are saying, that money could have been spent on reading comprehension.

padser

DellyBelly wrote: »

It's a disgrace that us tax payers have to fork out for these private flights for politicians. It makes my blood boil. I bet he doesn't even feel guilty about using the government jet.

Yeah you are spot on. It's an absolute disgrace that having elected him to do a job that requires working in both cork and Dublin he has the audacity to charge us €112 getting a Ryanair flight the 260km between the two. At 266 flights over 5 yrs that's almost one return trip per fortnight.

Seriously, there are sooooooo many legitimate things we can criticise FF for, do we really need to make something out of what is a pretty shabby piece of "journalism" from Ireland's largest tabloid????

michael999999

delahuntv wrote: »

266 retun flights over 5 years comes to about €112 per return flight.

I wouldn't call that excessive, but the indo creates the hysterical headline as usual.

Work out the additional cost of a driver bringing him to Cork and the driver staying overnight or having to return to colect him. Basic math would shos that taking the flight and beng collected by his missus was far more economical.

But the "30k on flights" hysterical headline is what some will read without doing a basic calculation.

btw - as they were not business class seats or the cost per return flight was quite reasonable, this info was handily ommitted as it just wouldn't match the headline

But he's driver would still be getting paid. Only he would be sitting on he's arse reading the papers in Dublin!

So the flights would be extra expenses on top off the cost of the driver!

Donkey Oaty

Did someone say he was using Donald Trump's private jet for this one-off 30k flight from Dublin to Cork?

That jet has gold-plated seatbelts.

Terrible, shocking, etc.

osarusan

Me read thread title. Me angry now. Many things wrong with world.

House of Blaze

Guy:Incognito

michael999999 wrote: »

But he's driver would still be getting paid. Only he would be sitting on he's arse reading the papers in Dublin!

So the flights would be extra expenses on top off the cost of the driver!

Would the car get to cork and back with much change from €112 in fuel alone? Then add in depreciation, wear and tear etc.

Santa Cruz

DellyBelly wrote: »

It's a disgrace that us tax payers have to fork out for these private flights for politicians. It makes my blood boil. I bet he doesn't even feel guilty about using the government jet.

And Joe isn't on the radio today so your blood will have to keep boiling until tomorrow. Maybe if you left a message one of his "researchers" will contact you.

alias no.9

Guy:Incognito wrote: »

Would the car get to cork and back with much change from €112 in fuel alone? Then add in depreciation, wear and tear etc.

The car is probably making the trip by road to pick him up at the other end

Glebee

Maybe he should have got the bus. lol

Guy:Incognito

alias no.9 wrote: »

The car is probably making the trip by road to pick him up at the other end

Hes probably lighting cigars made out of €50 notes with burning €100 notes too.

foggy_lad

delahuntv wrote: »

266 retun flights over 5 years comes to about €112 per return flight.

I wouldn't call that excessive, but the indo creates the hysterical headline as usual.

Work out the additional cost of a driver bringing him to Cork and the driver staying overnight or having to return to colect him. Basic math would shos that taking the flight and beng collected by his missus was far more economical.

But the "30k on flights" hysterical headline is what some will read without doing a basic calculation.

btw - as they were not business class seats or the cost per return flight was quite reasonable, this info was handily ommitted as it just wouldn't match the headline

Wouldn't the driver have to bring the car to cork and meet up with the minister afterwards. Why couldn't he get the train? Although first class with Irish rail would be dearer than the flight.

Losty Dublin

Donkey Oaty wrote: »

These were commercial flights, not on a private jet.

However, the phrase "jetting" away suggests a carefree holiday with the implied squandering of public money that is necessary to induce outrage in Indo readers. By some of the comments on this thread, it seems to work.

How much did the Indo pay for flights, limo's and accomm. for Sir A.J. O'Reilly, Denis O'Brien and their merry board of whistle blowers?

€29,999 or less? The expense is just.

Herb Powell

delahuntv wrote: »

266 retun flights over 5 years comes to about €112 per return flight.

I wouldn't call that excessive, but the indo creates the hysterical headline as usual.

Work out the additional cost of a driver bringing him to Cork and the driver staying overnight or having to return to colect him. Basic math would shos that taking the flight and beng collected by his missus was far more economical.

But the "30k on flights" hysterical headline is what some will read without doing a basic calculation.

btw - as they were not business class seats or the cost per return flight was quite reasonable, this info was handily ommitted as it just wouldn't match the headline

Nah, that's still ****, tbh.

The last time I checked, Aircoach did €22 return between Cork and Dublin.

michael999999

alias no.9 wrote: »

The car is probably making the trip by road to pick him up at the other end

I painted the newly developed Fitzgerald stadium in Killarney 5-6 years ago.

Brian Cowan was choppered down from Dublin. He's driver made the trip down with the car earlier in the morning to meet him in Killarney, and drive him the 50km round trip to Tralee and back.

He was then flown back to Dublin and the driver took the empty car back to Dublin.

I should have mentioned they also closed down the entire building site of over 250 people while Cowan was being shown around, in case anyone would say any thing to him.

ButtersSuki

I was on a few of those flights with the bauld Mickellín as I used to fly to Cork for work* regularly back in the days. The first thing I should point out is that they were Aer Lingus rather than Ryanair flights - Aer Lingus used to operate that route at the time. The second thing is I can confirm is that I did see his driver pick him up on at least one occasion as I was getting a taxi. So while I'm not opposed to him getting a relatively inexpensive flight to Cork as an act in itself, the utter waste and double expense of having the driver make the same journey to ferry him the short distance home is inexcusable.


*the logic from a work perspective was that it was at the time the quickest and cheapest way to get to Cork from Dublin. The road trip was about 4 hours at the time (not the 5 alluded to in the article) and as our meetings were very close to the airport it made sense rather than taking the train and having to get from Cork City centre out to the meetings.

The Diabolical Monocle

Just use fvcking Skype.

Edit: the calculations so far skip the wages he is paid. May be cheaper to pay an expensive flight and get his job done in 1 day than 2 days wages and a bus.