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Irish Presidential Candidate Apologizes For Using A Helicopter

September 11, 2018

A candidate running for president of the Republic of Ireland has apologized for using a helicopter to campaign.

Peter Casey, a businessman, “conceded” using the helicopter “was wrong on environmental grounds,” according to a story in the Irish Independent, a Dublin newspaper. The story does not quote Casey as apologizing or explain what environmental grounds make using a helicopter wrong.

Casey is one of several candidates seeking the presidency of the Irish Republic, which is a largely ceremonial role as head of state.

One way to make the ballot for the October 26 election is to be nominated by at least four of the country’s 31 county and city councils. Casey used the helicopter to get to three local council meetings occurring at similar times on Monday – in Monaghan, Offaly, and Galway, which are not near each other. (Monaghan is about 100 miles north of Offaly, which is about 60 miles east of Galway.)

Casey paid for the use of the helicopter himself, but his use of it has become a campaign issue.