Barry Andrews (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)

The existing contract expires on 30 June 2010 but includes a once-off option to extend individual bases flexibly, by different lengths, to a maximum of three years to 30 June 2013. The Government therefore decided to replace the current flight at a significant additional cost of approximately €20 million per annum.

Modern helicopters are much more capable than the current aircraft and fly at about 155 knots. They can lift more people from further out at sea and are usually able to fly in cloud. They are also more available and dependable, requiring less routine maintenance and are less prone to break down.

Bidders were required to quote for a number of options by which the target level of service could be provided. Each of the compulsory options meant that the Coastguard helicopter would reach at least 70% of all incidents within one hour. The preferred bidder has now been nominated and the Department of Transport is in the standstill period before contract negotiations can begin. The annual cost will increase very substantially as a result of the provision of modern helicopters. This increased cost must be found from within the Department of Transport's existing budget over the next ten years. However, it will deliver a marked improvement in the service. The new helicopters will fly to the scene of the mission faster, find the vessels or persons in the water more efficiently using better search surveillance and tracking tools, winch them to safety more quickly, provide better medical facilities on board and return them to safety in the shortest time possible.

I confirm again that there will be no change in the 24 hour availability from the Waterford base from July 2013, if ever. Furthermore, the future of Waterford Airport as a base for a coastguard SAR helicopter will be cemented until at least 2023. Although a 12 hour contract is to be negotiated for the post-2013 period the Government is committed to keeping this position under review in the light of the operational requirement at Waterford, the availability of funding and contract negotiations. To put the 12 hour operation in context, in 2009 this would have required 13 of the 113 missions flown from Waterford to be met from another base. In some cases the new helicopters would have arrived earlier but, on average, the additional time required would have been about ten minutes.

At a national level, in difficult financial circumstances, this new contract is a major recognition by the Government of the value of the Irish Coastguard and the communities it serves. It is also a substantial commitment to the continuing development of Irish maritime safety services.

I thank the Deputies for their understanding.

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