Willie Penrose quits cabinet over closure of Mullingar barracks

[RonanC]

Living near Baldonnel, I don't know what to make of the AER CORPS, practising their flying for ceremonial presidential or 1916 commemorations.

'Practising' ?

I would advise you so to look into what they do. You would be surprised !

Who patrols the coast and our waters by air? The Air Corp.

Who fly the Garda helicopters? The Air Corp.

Who fly the Ministerial aircraft? The Air Corp.

Who provided the recent Air Ambulance for that young girl to Kings Cross Hospital in London? The Air Corp.

 

[Purple]

Who patrols the coast and our waters by air? The Air Corp.

Should be a coast guard, then we could get funding from the EU

Who fly the Garda helicopters? The Air Corp.

Should be the Garda.

Who fly the Ministerial aircraft? The Air Corp.

Should be the Garda

Who provided the recent Air Ambulance for that young girl to Kings Cross Hospital in London? The Air Corp.

A government jet is usually used for these flights.

In fairness the Air Corp do train lots of pilots for commercial airlines... at a cost of over€250’000 per pilot (when they leave and get a better paid job). Now that’s a great use of tax payers money!

 

[Complainer]

Busy day in Labour HQ -- I would say that Complainer is on the bus heading for Ely Place as we speak ;-)

You overestimate my influence dramatically - just a mere footsoldier, who rarely sets foot in Ely Place.

On the broader issue, it was a dreadful decision by Penrose. Sends out all the wrong signals.

I'm not so sure that his motives were around protecting his own seat for the next election, given his age and his recent health issues. He was well known for having a very active practice as a Barrister while still a TD, prior to his appointment as Minister.