Matt Shanahan (Waterford, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I extend my sympathies to the family of Captain Dara Fitzpatrick, chief pilot, Mark Duffy, winch operator, Paul Ormsby, and winchman, Ciarán Smith. I also want to remember the four Air Corps members of R111 who lost their lives in Waterford in 1999, also as a result of a tragic accident: Captains Dave O’Flaherty and Mick Baker, Sergeant Paddy Mooney and Corporal Niall Byrne. They were all courageous people who risked their lives and ultimately gave them to help others in significant and perilous danger.

The R116 report clearly shows specific measures are now needed to ensure that the air and sea rescue service is properly supported. The State needs to invest now in a new 24-7, available, fixed-wing aircraft, to be based in Dublin or Shannon and to operate on a national basis. Sporadic availability of Air Corps top-cover aircraft is no longer sufficient, as the report has shown. The aircraft I advocate could provide top-cover support on scene for extended operational hours and assist with the monitoring of marine pollution, as well as providing much-needed patient transfer capability across the island and to the UK.

The Irish Aviation Authority needs to adopt a management reference document, such as the UK Civil Aviation Authority’s CAP999 document, which assists organisations in determining procedures and in respect of operational guidance manuals for search and rescue helicopter services and missions.

Night-vision goggles are being deployed across the search and rescue fleet, yet they are approved solely for helicopter emergency medical service, HEMS, operations. Will the Minister update the House on why there is a delay and when approval will issue for the use of night-vision goggles in all search and rescue aircraft activity?

Captain Dara Fitzpatrick had a very close association with Waterford’s R117 service. She was a chief pilot in Waterford for many years and had many friends there. The R117 service is a service that was recently distinguished by its being awarded bravery honours by the Ceann Comhairle for the rescue of seven crew members from a ship that was sinking off the Kerry coast in March 2021. Dara would have revelled in the fact that the rescue mission was assisted by the only female winchman in the national service, Ms Sarah Courtney.

With reference to the R117 service in Waterford, perhaps the Minister will comment on why his Department is now reneging on a commitment to provide stopgap funding of €350,000 per annum to Waterford Airport, the home of R117, while the airport awaits planning permission for a new runway extension. This reneging comes at a time when the Minister has announced funding of €126 million to support all other regional airports. The hypocrisy shown by the Government in failing to support or secure Waterford Airport and its R117 helicopter service is breathtaking in light of the funding of €126 that was announced. The withdrawal of the Waterford Airport service and moneys dishonours those in our Waterford rescue base, which provides life-saving assistance to the population of the south east from Waterford Airport each day. I hope the report on R116 and the planned implementation of recommendations can bring some comfort and closure to the families involved and to all those with loved ones who operate in the air and sea rescue service. Regarding R116, mistakes have been identified. They must now be fully acknowledged and rectified. Remediating action must be plain to see for everybody involved in the air and sea rescue service so some good can come of this tragedy and to ensure such an accident will never happen again.

See this speech in context