Bombardier Aerospace is preparing a potential $40 million bid to supply the Irish Government with a new jet or jets.

The Canadian group, whose Belfast division employs nearly 9,000 people, is understood to be working on a number of potential aircraft options that might be suitable for the Government's requirements.

Although the Government has confirmed plans to replace its current fleet, no details have been released about its future needs. It has a Gulfstream 4 jet, which seats more than 10, and an ageing four-seat Beechcraft.

It is reviewing several options including purchasing a larger aircraft such as a Boeing or Airbus that could service long-haul travel requirements.

However, industry sources say that the most likely option for the Government is to buy one of the extensive range of business jets which are suitable for short-medium haul travel.

Bombardier Aerospace manufactures a range of regional and business jets and its regional jet series is used by airlines throughout the world from Canadair to Tyrolean Airlines in Austria.

Its business jet series in the 50-seater through to 70 and 90-seater ranges is particularly popular with large American corporates such as Xerox who use them to transport senior executives throughout the US. Bombardier Aerospace has also supplied business jets to a number of governments in Europe - both the British and Danish governments currently operate business jets as part of their ministerial fleets.

The British government has five top-of-the-range Global Express aircraft, one of the most popular choices for governments and one of the aircraft which Bombardier Aerospace is believed to have selected as a possible option for the Government.

The Global Express, which has a flying range of 12 hours, is one of Bombardier's high-tech long-range aircraft.

The Japanese government recently added the Global Express, which is priced from $40 million, to its fleet. According to industry experts, the Government's configuration requirement - i.e. the number of people that it wishes to transport - will dictate which type of aircraft it is likely to purchase.

Bombardier's Learjet, which is a smaller business jet with a price tag of $6-$7 million, can seat around 12 people compared to the regional jet series, which is priced at $20 million and can accommodate 50 to 90 people depending on the aircraft's configuration.

The Canadian group is one of the leaders in the global business jet market, which has seen a sharp upturn in the last seven years.

Its Northern Ireland division plays a key role in its business jet operations. The Belfast facility works on eight aircraft programmes for the regional and business jet series which currently accounts for around 60 per cent of its total production.

The Belfast facility manufactures a range of key components from fuselages to horizontal stabilisers and wing fuselages for Bombardier's aircraft programmes.

The growth in the regional and business jet market has led to the Canadian group increasing its supplier base in Northern Ireland and the Republic.

Last year the group sourced £30 million sterling of supplies on the island and it is currently holding supplier meetings north and south to increase its supplier base this year.