Willie O'Dea (Limerick East, Fianna Fail)

The Irish Coastguard has overall responsibility for the provision of maritime search and rescue services within the Irish search and rescue region. The Air Corps had been providing search and rescue services off the north-west coast but withdrew in October 2004 following a handover of this role to CHCI, a private operator, which also provides the service at the country's other search and rescue bases in Dublin, Shannon and Waterford.

I understand from my colleague, the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources, that CHCI will provide continuity of SAR service to the coastal, island and sea-faring communities in the north west. The changeover from the Air Corps to CHCI will not in any way downgrade or diminish the level of service provided to mariners or to our island communities. I understand that the mission list for the coastguard's service includes air ambulance, island relief, medevac etc.

The decision to withdraw the Air Corps from search and rescue services was only made following a considered assessment of the capacity of the Air Corps to return to and maintain a full 24-hour service in the north west. The decision was taken against what has always been the overriding concern of this and previous Governments and the Air Corps, namely, the safety of mariners and anyone who gets into difficulty where search and rescue can respond. The Air Corps was not in a position to provide the level of service that was required. There is no plan to reconsider the decision to withdraw from the maritime search and rescue service. However, the Air Corps will continue to provide non-maritime search and rescue response and the specification for the new helicopters being acquired for the Air Corps have this capability.

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