Taoiseach Bertie Ahern never travels by helicopter unless he has to, he told the Dáil as he answered questions about the use of the Government jet. Mr Ahern acknowledged he was nervous about using helicopters and said he had never used the landing pad in Government buildings.
Three helicopters he had flown in, "crashed in one form or another in one year. That finished me and helicopters, except when I have to use them." Mr Ahern added that: "I was not on them but unfortunately others were".
Opposition leaders questioned him about the Government jet and if it was the case that the Air Corps flew from Baldonnel aerodrome to Dublin airport to collect him and Government Ministers. Mr Ahern said: "it doesn't create any great difficulty for the Air Corps to fly across to Dublin airport" from Baldonnel.
He was not a great user of the Government jet. "I flew out of Baldonnel last week when I travelled to the UK and I sometimes fly back into Baldonnel." If returning late at night he preferred to land at Dublin airport "as it is located five minutes from my home, but otherwise I do not care".
Fine Gael chief whip Paul Kehoe questioned the reported use of the jet by Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism John O'Donoghue for a trip to Kerry on official business, and said it would be "far cheaper for the Minister to use Aer Arann or take other direct flights rather than using the Government jet".
The Taoiseach said Mr O'Donoghue regularly used Aer Arann. "He would not request, nor under the procedures, be allowed the use of the jet, or the Lear jet for going to Farranfore."
Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny, who asked how many times the jet had flown from Baldonnel to Dublin airport last year, said they were "short hop" trips, which added wear and tear. "There is a perception that the Taoiseach and the line-up of exalted Ministers do not need to travel on the M50 and put up with the traffic jams, unlike the rest of us," he said.
Mr Ahern said practically all flights arrived at or departed from Baldonnel. "My colleagues use Baldonnel in practically every case. They usually leave so early in the morning when travelling to Brussels that they do not encounter problems with traffic."
Labour leader Pat Rabbitte asked if it was the case "that the jet takes off from Baldonnel and lands again at Dublin airport to collect the Taoiseach because that is more convenient". Mr Ahern said he was more interested in where he landed.
"When I go to the UK I try to land at the military airport because it is far nearer to London and far more convenient." If he was going to the North he would prefer to drive.
