Stormont Ministers’ Business-Class Flight Expenses Draw Criticism

Since the re-establishment of Northern Ireland’s devolved government in February, Stormont ministers have incurred nearly £35,000 in expenses for business-class air travel. This sum significantly exceeds the expenditure on economy air travel, being more than twice that amount. An assembly member characterized these expenses as “completely out of touch”. Stormont officials stated that business-class travel assists ministers in preparing for their commitments, and that all bookings adhere to established travel policies. Data obtained by BBC News NI through a Freedom of Information Act request revealed that over £48,000 was expended on 94 flights for ministers. This total comprised 39 business-class flights, costing in excess of £34,600. Additionally, more than £12,100 was allocated for 54 economy-class journeys, and £1,871 for one premium economy flight. The Executive Office, led by First Minister Michelle O’Neill and Deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly, recorded the highest departmental expenditure within Stormont. This office spent £19,872 on 38 flights for the first and deputy first ministers. The majority of this spending, nearly £16,200, was attributed to 21 business-class flights. These included business-class travel between Dublin and Washington DC in March, preceding St Patrick’s Day celebrations. Notably, Jayne Brady, the head of the civil service, traveled to the US in economy class for the same trip. In August, O’Neill returned from a vacation in Portugal following the recall of the Stormont assembly due to street disorder in Belfast. The Executive Office covered the cost of two economy flights for the Sinn Féin deputy leader between Belfast and Faro, as indicated by the provided data. The communities minister undertook five business-class flights, totaling £6,609, with destinations such as London, Washington, and Toronto. In November, Gordon Lyons expressed that he was “shocked and surprised” upon discovering the total cost of his journey to the US and Canada. The Irish News reported that this nine-day visit, which included five of his officials, cost over £40,000. Lyons, a Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) assembly member, stated on the BBC’s Nolan Show that procurement practices should be reviewed to guarantee “value for money”. Economy Minister Conor Murphy utilized seven business-class flights, amounting to nearly £6,500, for travel to locations such as Chicago and Singapore. Additionally, he took 17 economy flights, costing £3,490, which included journeys to New York, London, and Berlin. Education Minister Paul Givan exclusively traveled business class for all six of his flights during this timeframe, with expenses exceeding £5,300. Gerry Carroll, a People Before Profit assembly member, characterized the Stormont executive’s expenditure on business-class flights as “completely out of touch with ordinary people”. He deemed the spending on O’Neill’s flights between Belfast and Faro “inappropriate” and indicated that inquiries persisted regarding Lyons’s journey to the US and Canada. Carroll further stated, “Ministers ought to be flying economy, just like the vast majority of the constituents they represent,” and added, “They should also be reflecting on the wider purpose of their overseas visits, and whether environmentally destructive air travel is really necessary in the first place.” The four Northern Ireland Executive departments with ministers who traveled business class were solicited for their comments. The Department for the Economy articulated that the ministerial position “involves representing our trade, investment and business interests in many different parts of the world”. A spokesperson affirmed that most of the minister’s flights were economy class. “On occasion, the minister has flown business class in order to be prepared for a busy spell of engagements, which often get underway immediately upon arrival, or to prepare for departmental/assembly business upon his return,” the spokesperson further explained. A spokesperson for the Department of Education stated: “All departments must book all business travel, including accommodation and flights, using departmental travel desks.” The spokesperson continued, “All travel requests are made and approved in accordance with the NICS (Northern Ireland Civil Service) Travel Policy and booked through the travel management company.” The Executive Office and the Department for Communities were also contacted for their input.