Dáil debates

Tuesday, 12 October 2004

Priority Questions.

Search and Rescue Service.

2:30 pm

Photo of Dinny McGinleyDinny McGinley (Donegal South West, Fine Gael)
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Question 4: To ask the Minister for Defence the future role that will be played by the Air Corps in the provision of search and rescue services, in particular in the safety and welfare of coastal and island communities. [24515/04]

Photo of Bernard DurkanBernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 76: To ask the Minister for Defence if he has satisfied himself regarding the adequacy of facilities available to the Air Corps air-sea rescue service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24536/04]

Photo of Willie O'DeaWillie O'Dea (Limerick East, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 4 and 76 together.

The Irish Coast Guard has overall responsibility for the provision of maritime search and rescue services within the Irish search and rescue region. The Air Corps has been providing search and rescue services off the north-west coast but withdrew yesterday following a hand-over of this role to CHCI, a private operator, which currently provides the service at the country's other search and rescue bases at Dublin, Shannon and Waterford.

I understand from my colleague, the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources, that CHCI will provide continuity of search and rescue service to the coastal, island and seafaring communities in the north west. I understand that the mission list for the Irish Coast Guard's service includes air ambulance, island relief, medevac etc.

As the Deputy is aware, my Department is engaged in a tender competition for the acquisition of six new helicopters for the Air Corps. Their primary role will be that of general purpose military operations and training. Primary tasks will include training and operations with the Army, security and aid to the civil power, military exercises, infantry interoperability training and limited troop transport. However, these helicopters will also be available to perform air ambulance, aid to the civil community and VIP transport tasks. Air Corps personnel will continue to train to provide a limited non-maritime search and rescue capability within the Defence Forces.

The White Paper on Defence establishes the roles of the Defence Forces as including the provision of services to civil authorities as and when required. The Defence Forces have never been found wanting in this regard, particularly in times of floods, forest fires, severe weather conditions or any other emergencies faced by the community. In the event of an emergency request from the Irish Coast Guard or from any other service, the Air Corps will obviously respond to any such request in its usual efficient and supportive manner and to the best of its capability.

Photo of Dinny McGinleyDinny McGinley (Donegal South West, Fine Gael)
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After 43 years of being responsible for search and rescue operations, the Air Corps was relieved of that responsibility yesterday afternoon. This brings to an end a glorious chapter in the history of the Air Corps. Not only did it carry out search and rescue missions but it always responded promptly to requests from coastal communities and islands down through the years. Will the Minister give us an undertaking that the new company taking over from the Air Corps will respond in the same manner, always free of charge to the island communities? Is the Minister aware that only the week before last, a seriously ill woman on Tory Island had to depend on the Arranmore lifeboat to bring her ashore in my parish? That very sick woman then had to travel a further 40 miles to hospital. If the Air Corps or the new service had been available she would have got to hospital in a matter of minutes rather than hours.

I put on record our appreciation of the Air Corps staff. The words of the well-known song, "Those magnificent men in their flying machines", could be applied aptly to them. Given what the Minister has said, I hope there will be a role for these people in future. They have accumulated much expertise and experience over the years so it would be a pity if the Air Corps was not available. When people said "Tá siad ag teacht" on Tory or other small islands, they were not referring to the lasta or the currach but to those helicopters. Their withdrawal is a body-blow to the morale of the Air Corps. When the new Minister examines the matter with an open mind, I hope he will reconsider the future role of the Air Corps in this regard because it has been doing this work for 41 years.

I wish the new company well. I have absolutely nothing against private enterprise, no matter where it is located, and if it matches the service we got from the Air Corps we will be happy. After the long campaign to have Air Corps personnel based locally, I would hate to see those people being reassigned elsewhere and, thus, no longer available on the west coast.

Photo of Willie O'DeaWillie O'Dea (Limerick East, Fianna Fail)
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I agree with Deputy McGinley that the Air Corps has done a magnificent job over the past 43 years. I join with him in expressing good wishes for the Air Corps, as well as recognising its service over the years. It is appropriate to salute Air Corps personnel, some of whom have made the ultimate sacrifice in performing essential rescue missions. I will refer to those later if I get an opportunity to do so.

As regards the Deputy's key question, the answer is "yes". The service provided by the new company, which is already being provided in Dublin, Shannon and Waterford, will certainly not be any less than heretofore. I think it will provide an enhanced service. The Deputy will be aware that when the decision was taken to replace the Air Corps by this private company in the north west, it was preceded by an evaluation undertaken by the previous Minister, Deputy Michael Smith. Unfortunately, that evaluation concluded that we could no longer be guaranteed a full, 24-hour service from the Air Corps in this regard. We are talking about life and death and we need to have a constant, full-time, 24-hour, dedicated service, which I know this new company will provide.

I take Deputy McGinley's point regarding the transition period between the new company taking over and the Air Corps leaving. I have spoken to my officials and to Air Corps personnel about this and I assure Deputy McGinley and the House generally that there will be no risk during that transitional period. During the training period for the new company, it will be tasked with rescue missions. It has helicopter bases in Shannon, Dublin and Waterford, and the Air Corps will be standing by to render necessary assistance.

As regards the future, the Air Corps will still be available in non-maritime situations to provide certain rescue facilities, including an air ambulance service. That is what we have decided will be the future role for the Air Corps in these situations.