Matt Shanahan (Waterford, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank the witnesses.

I want to direct my questions purely to the Department, if I may please. I want to acknowledge the sacrifice of the crews of Rescue 116 and Rescue 111, which crashed in 1999, as I did in the Dáil last night. Again, I express my sympathies to their families and the family of Caitríona Lucas.

The responsibility for the leadership of the air-sea rescue service rests with Ms O’Keeffe. She will be well aware of the recent citations of bravery given by the Ceann Comhairle to the crew of Rescue 117 for the saving of seven lives off the Haulbowline in March earlier this year. That could not have been achieved without the expertise of that crew. There is also the fact that we have a heavy lift helicopter in Waterford. Ms O'Keeffe will understanding the need to have those services and having the resources based in Waterford. Ms O’Keeffe will also be aware that within the Department of Transport a commitment was given by the last Minister to provide €350,000 per annum in stopgap funding while an application is being made by Waterford local authority through An Bord Pleanála for the extension of the runway. The Department has now rescinded giving this €350,000 this year. At the same time the Department has also announced that €126 million in regional funding will be allocated to all other regional airports in the country. Can I ask for a quick response on this, because I have three safety questions to which I would also like a response? Can Ms O'Keeffe explain to me the rationale of her Department to reduce money to the sum of €350,000 that support the Rescue 117 service in Waterford? The Department donated €126 million in capital supports and other funding to all the other airports in the region. Meanwhile, we understand that a tender is also now in question around the country for the new application tender for the national air-sea rescue service.