Thomas Pringle (Donegal, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I am sharing time with Deputy Connolly. Coming from a coastal community, I recognise the importance of the Coast Guard and know of the sheer devastation felt by a coastal community when an accident such as the R116 air accident occurs. I take this opportunity to extend my sympathies to the families of Paul Ormsby, Mark Duffy, Dara Fitzpatrick and Ciarán Smith and to their communities which are, no doubt, feeling the impact of this tragedy.

The report of the air accident investigation unit makes for sobering reading and outlines further the tragedy that this was. It highlights that it was an avoidable tragedy. It seems to me that it could have been avoided by the company doing its job properly and the State actually providing oversight of the contract that it has given out on our behalf. The report shows almost a 50:50 split between the State and the operator of the aircraft in terms of the steps that need to be taken in light of this tragic disaster. Of the recommendations, 19 relate to State agencies and 23 to the operator.

All present know that Black Rock Island was not on the maps that were used on the helicopter and that the crew, not being based on the west coast, may not have been totally familiar with it. However, the question has to be asked as to how, in this day and age, that situation was allowed to continue. Has it been sorted since? It seems crazy that the situation does not seem to have been picked up by the operator, the Department or the Coast Guard.

The report and its highlighting of the oversight findings on the deficiencies of the Department, the Coast Guard and the Irish Aviation Authority are stark and have to be addressed to ensure this cannot happen again. It is extremely worrying that oversight finding No. 46 states, "Neither [the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport] nor the [Irish Coast Guard] had aviation expertise available within their own personnel resources, and lacked the capacity to remain an ‘intelligent customer’in relation to contracted helicopter operations or auditing". That is shocking. What is the State going to do to correct that situation? There is no doubt that there were massive failings on behalf of the contracted company but that does not remove the duty of care on the State, as the contractor, to make sure that everything is correct and to protect citizens.

To whom does it fall to have the recommendations of the report implemented? The recommendations are so damning that they have to be implemented in full and it seems to me that, unfortunately, neither the Department nor the Coast Guard are competent to do that. I know the Minister outlined that he is implementing the report but I think this House has to insist on oversight of the Department because it failed miserably through the whole process. There has to be oversight to make sure the report is implemented. That is vital. We will see what happens in that regard and from there on.

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