Minister's jet call-out fiasco costs €10,000

[Frank]

A GOVERNMENT minister's late arrival at a Swiss airport has cost the taxpayer €10,000.

The new six-seater Government Lear jet was summoned from Baldonnel to taxi Health Minister Micheal Martin and four of his officials back to Dublin after he missed his scheduled flight.

The minister was delayed after a series of events involving a missing passport and confusion over the classification of luggage.

Mr Martin and his party believed they had arrived in sufficient time at Geneva Airport for their flight home last Wednesday. But Swiss airport officials said the flight had closed. The Irish party then waited nearly six hours in the VIP lounge.

Mr Martin, who was also representing the EU presidency, travelled with Aer Lingus to Geneva last Monday week for the World Health Assembly which ended at midday on Wednesday. A spokeswoman said the minister and his officials arrived at the VIP lounge at around 1.30pm for the 2.20pm flight and there was initial uncertainty about whether their baggage should go in the hold or not. They were informed it could be brought on as hand luggage, but at 1.40pm airport officials told them they would not be allowed to board.

"The minister's party was told there was a strict rule that the gates closed 40 minutes before departure and no one was allowed to board after that time," the spokeswoman explained.

Irish embassy officials, who accompanied the minister and his entourage, tried unsuccessfully to book alternative flights.

Mr Martin had an engagement to open a conference on Dublin last Thursday morning and the Secretary General of his department was also due to speak at the conference. His spokeswoman said embassy officials checked whether the government jet was available, and upon confirmation it was requested.

It was confirmed last night that while travelling to the airport the minister discovered he had left his passport behind at their hotel. Officials arranged for it to be couriered to the airport, and it arrived a short time after they were refused entry on the flight.

Last night, a spokeswoman for the minister said the temporary loss of his passport was unrelated to what happened when they arrived at the airport.

Fine Gael health spokeswoman Olivia Mitchell said the incident was "a fiasco".

"This does not augur well for the minister charged with responsibility to implement an €11bn overhaul of the health service, if he cannot manage his personal travel arrangements."

Brian Dowling
Political Correspondent

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Minister's jet call-out fiasco costs €10,000

[Flyboy]

He should be made to pay the 10k himself, as he forgot his passport. What an idiot.

[Joey d]

The passport had nothing to do with it! ;-)