Billy Timmins (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Question 96: To ask the Minister for Defence if he intends to permit the Air Corps to be involved in search and rescue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1403/05]

Willie O'Dea (Limerick East, Fianna Fail)
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The Irish Coastguard has overall responsibility for the provision of maritime search and rescue services within the Irish search and rescue region. The Air Corps had been providing search and rescue services off the north-west coast but withdrew in October 2004 following a handover of this role to CHCI, a private operator, which also provides the service at the country's other search and rescue bases in Dublin, Shannon and Waterford.

I understand from my colleague, the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources, that CHCI will provide continuity of SAR service to the coastal, island and sea-faring communities in the north west. The changeover from the Air Corps to CHCI will not in any way downgrade or diminish the level of service provided to mariners or to our island communities. I understand that the mission list for the coastguard's service includes air ambulance, island relief, medevac etc.

The decision to withdraw the Air Corps from search and rescue services was only made following a considered assessment of the capacity of the Air Corps to return to and maintain a full 24-hour service in the north west. The decision was taken against what has always been the overriding concern of this and previous Governments and the Air Corps, namely, the safety of mariners and anyone who gets into difficulty where search and rescue can respond. The Air Corps was not in a position to provide the level of service that was required. There is no plan to reconsider the decision to withdraw from the maritime search and rescue service. However, the Air Corps will continue to provide non-maritime search and rescue response and the specification for the new helicopters being acquired for the Air Corps have this capability.

Billy Timmins (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Does the Minister agree that losing the search and rescue service in the north west was a morale blow to the Air Corps? This service it provided was akin to what the overseas service is to the Army. It may be more difficult to get pilots to remain in the Air Corps when they are not involved in operational activities and are only involved in training. Has he had representations from the GOC or the commanding officer of the Air Corps to examine other areas outside its military remit, for example, the air ambulance service, whereby it could assist the public?

Willie O'Dea (Limerick East, Fianna Fail)
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The answer to the last part of the Deputy's question is "no". I have not had any such representations. I emphasise to the Deputy that in regard to emergencies on land, including those that require the air ambulance service, the Air Corps will continue to be available.

In regard to what happened in the north west, there are four search and rescue bases in the country, namely, Dublin, Shannon, Waterford and the north west. The private operator to which we are referring and which can give a guaranteed 24 hour service was operating in three of those bases. The Air Corps was handling the service in the north west. We changed that situation because it became clear in October 2004, for various reasons which I need not go into, that the Air Corps could not guarantee that there would be 24-hour service available in the north west. The people who depend on this service in the region should not be disadvantaged vis-À-vis people in other parts of the country. It was on that basis alone that the decision was taken.

I emphasise and reiterate that I visited the Air Corps on two occasions in the past fortnight in conjunction with the purchase of new equipment, and morale among the staff is extremely high. I received a great reception. I also emphasise that the Air Corps will continue in its traditional role in search and rescue missions in regard to on-land, inshore rescue.

Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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The Minister said that the search and rescue service provided by the Air Corps in the north west was discontinued because the Air Corps did not have the necessary capacity to deliver a 24-hour service. Am I correct in that?

Willie O'Dea (Limerick East, Fianna Fail)
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No, I did not mention its capacity.

Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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The Minister said he would not reconsider the withdrawal of that service from the Air Corps, yet we have increased its capacity with the provision of four new utility helicopters. Does he agree that handing over the role of the delivery of this service to a private operator incurs a greater cost on the State? Would it not be better to increase the capacity of the Air Corps to deliver this service?

Willie O'Dea (Limerick East, Fianna Fail)
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Cost is certainly a factor, but the primary factor is guaranteeing safety and a 24-hour service.

For the information of the House my predecessor, the former Minister, Deputy Michael Smith, outlined to the House on a number of occasions that his decision to change the position in regard to the north west was taken following a considered assessment of the capacity of the Air Corps to return to and maintain a full 24-hour service in the north west. The service had been restricted following on from an unusually high incidence of sick leave among the winch crews. The decision to withdraw the Air Corps was taken to allow the coastguard put in place a service, which is resilient and can provide a continuity of service to the coastal island and sea-faring communities of the north west. We can never lose sight of the fact that search and rescue is an emergency life-saving exercise on which seafarers must be able to rely in all circumstances. This must be the priority.

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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What accounted for the unusually high absenteeism?

Willie O'Dea (Limerick East, Fianna Fail)
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This happened before I came to the Department but I understand it was due to bad industrial relations. There was disagreement between management and staff, as I understand it, and this is the way that staff choose to express their disagreement.

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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Did members of our armed services behave in that way?

Willie O'Dea (Limerick East, Fianna Fail)
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It arose from a dispute between management and staff. There was an unusually high incidence of sick leave. Perhaps it was coincidental that those people all happened to be sick at the same time.

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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These are members of the armed forces. That is not normal.

Willie O'Dea (Limerick East, Fianna Fail)
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It may have been a coincidence.