It has emerged that Mr O'Donoghue used the government jet over a six-day period in 2006 to travel to the Cannes Film Festival in France, a constituency event in Kerry, the Heineken Rugby Cup final won by Munster in Cardiff, and a Ryder Cup launch near London, at a total cost of €32,450 to the taxpayer. More here
It was a wide spread opinion that going into government with Fianna Fail would lead to tears, jet gate looms, with the Green Party coalition partners admitting that the government jet has been used for pleasure trips for one FF minister.
We are dangerously close to tipping point when it comes to climate change and yet the Irish government is happily building new motorways and letting its minister fly by official jet on pleasure jaunts.
Depressing stuff....perhaps the Irish Green Party could change their name to the 'Irish Not Green Party' to distinguish themselves from Greens on the rest of the planet.
I wonder if John Gormley used the private jet to get to the climate conference in Bali?
Just asking....his blog on Bali is here.
8 comments:
This does not surprise me but now they are making a big play that they have got some climate concessions into the programme for government.
In the interim they are supporting the cuts programme laid out by the Bord Snip - which is proposing major cuts in welfare etc, as well as a reduction in the minimum wage!
Derek,
Your recent comments about your sister Green Party in Ireland are extremely disappointing to us in the party here – and not only because they are inaccurate.
The title of this blog post in particular is misleading and sensationalist, not to mention false.
The fact that you previously occupied a senior position in your own party makes it doubly offensive that you continue to badmouth your colleagues on this side of the Irish Sea with poorly-informed opinions which could have come directly from from our political rivals' briefing material.
The next time you have questions about green politics in Ireland - feel free to talk to your party colleagues here, rather than our opponents.
And for the record, John flew with a commercial carrier to Bali and with Ryanair to Poznan, and will in all likelihood take a commercial flight to Copenhagen this December, for the next round of UN climate change talks.
He will be the only environment minister there from the European Greens.
Damian
(Communications Manager with the Green Party of Ireland)
The performance of the Irish Green Party has me depressed greatly.
I guess this wont be an issue after the next General Election in Ireland for all the obvious reason.
I suppose the Progressive Democrats were able to shape the policy agenda in Ireland before their embrace of Fianna Fail proved fatal...I suspect the likely disappearance of the Irish Green Party will not have an associated silver lining.
Derek,
Fuck off you stupid cunt.
John, please use your real name and not anon!
The flight were in 2006 a year before the Greens were in government. Get your facts straight.
Derek doesent just try to cause trouble for the Irish Greens he also tries to sabotage his own party as well.
He was given a vote of censure by the Green Party Association of Green Councillors (AGC) when he made comments concerning the alliance between Green Party, Conservative and Liberal Democrat councillors on the Leeds City Council."
Derek doesent like the Greens going into coalition with anyone because i guess he fears they might actually achieve somehting by being a government party.
As usual his red socialism comes before his green realism.
Go on name me one member of the Green Party over here who things the FF coalition was a good idea, glad to say the Leeds Greens got out of the coalition when it was going to support incinerators!
But that is another matter....motorway building and jets are not things just red greens criticise by the way.
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