Timmy Dooley (Clare, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Two Sikorsky aircraft were tasked to go 300 miles off the south coast recently. It was a very complicated expedition, involving landing on an oil rig to refuel, to rescue a passenger, who is not a citizen of the State, from a cruise ship.

When it comes to saving lives, the financial aspect is left to the background. The Minister of State is familiar with the fact that at present if the fire service from a local authority is called out to attend at a road accident, the insurance company of the person driving the car is billed. Many people travelling on cruise ships and trawlers already have the benefit of insurance in another country. I am not stating the question should be asked before the rescue takes place, but it certainly should be asked afterwards. I do not suggest this would make a major dent, but the cost of two aircraft travelling 300 miles south west of Ireland was certainly significant given the cost per hour of flying.