Alan Kelly (Tipperary North, Labour)

I am pleased to take this opportunity to speak on behalf of the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, who is attending a European Union Transport Council meeting today, on the subject of the final report regarding the accident to the Air Corps PC-9(M) training aircraft at Cornamona, County Galway, on 12 October 2009. On behalf of the Minister, the Department and myself, I express my deepest sympathy to the families, friends and colleagues of Captain Derek Furniss and Cadet David Jevens, who lost their lives in this tragic accident.

At the time of this accident, the Deputy was Minster for Defence and with the then Minister for Transport, he agreed the investigation of the accident would be conducted by the air accident investigation unit of my Department in accordance with Regulation No. 27(1) of SI 205 of 1997, Air Navigation (Notification and Investigation of Accidents and Incidents) Regulations 1997. Three senior officers of the Air Corps were assigned to the air accident investigation team. A preliminary report on this accident was issued and published by the air accident investigation unit on 17 November 2009.

Following a complex and detailed investigation and in accordance with Regulation No. 18 of SI 205, a notice of findings that included a draft report on the accident was issued on 14 July 2011 to all interested parties associated with the accident. These interested parties included the families of both deceased pilots, the Department of Defence, the Air Corps, the state of the manufacturer of the aircraft, that is, Switzerland and the manufacturer of the aircraft, namely, Pilatus. All parties made formal comments, one of which was a substantial legal submission. These submissions required detailed consideration and a response from the air accident investigation unit in accordance with the requirements of notice of findings, Regulation No. 18(1)(c) of SI 205.

An additional factor that has contributed to the delay in finalising the report is the provision of the significant resources required to deal with the international commitments associated with the fatal accident involving a public transport aircraft at Cork Airport on 10 February in which six people lost their lives and six others suffered injuries. However, I am pleased to be able to inform the Deputy that the Air Accident Investigation Unit has advised me that its response to the submissions received is nearing completion and that the release of the final report is imminent.

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