THE cost of the air taxi service for the first three months of Ireland's EU Presidency was estimated at £256,000. The Government jet cost £255,000, including maintenance, fuel and support services, in the same period, the Minister for Defence, Mr Barrett, said in a written reply. It was not possible to state the cost of the air taxi service for the remainder of Ireland's EU Presidency as the costs related to the number of flying hours involved, Mr Barrett told Mr Seamus Brennan (FF, Dublin South).