Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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32. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence if a decision was taken in 2016 to prioritise the ministerial air transport service over the provision of top cover for search and rescue missions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23355/17]

Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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The Minister of State is fresh from his top billing on 'Prime Time' last night. Will he account for and elaborate on the decision to prioritise ministerial air transport over and above search and rescue or air ambulance services, including air transport for children needing organ transplants?

Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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Let me be clear that no decision was ever taken to prioritise the ministerial air transport service over the provision of top cover for search and rescue missions. When I was informed of the situation in the Air Corps regarding its plan to suspend the standby roster for out-of-hours and weekend contingencies, I directed that a meeting be held immediately between Department officials and the military authorities. I requested them to look at options to safely maximise the availability of aircraft for those services which were not the subject of specific service level agreement targets, those provided on an ‘as available’ basis. This includes top cover and inter-hospital transfers.

The key issue identified by the military authorities at the time was the loss of experienced pilots qualified to fly the relevant aircraft, that is fixed-wing CASA maritime patrol aircraft and the rotary wing AW139 helicopter, which resulted in an inability to staff the standby roster for out-of-hours and weekends. It was determined that standing down the ministerial air transport service was not a solution for the roster or for improving availability outside of normal hours for those as available services.

In response, I have ensured that a range of actions have been put in train which are intended to increase relevant pilot and other specialist numbers. This will lead to improved availability of Air Corps aircraft in the medium-term. I also want to assure the Deputy and the House that in the event of a national emergency all Air Corps assets and personnel can be recalled and tasked as required.

Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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In the memo from Major General Kevin Cotter, dated 30 June 2016, he specifically states:

Accordingly, the Air Corps has identified the following as priority missions that can and must be maintained as these missions are governed by SLAs and are high profile outputs:

1. Emergency medical services

2. Garda air support

3. Maritime patrols

4. Ministerial air transport service

In concentrating on these missions it will not be possible to provide the out-of-hours standby coverage that the Air Corps has been providing with the AW139 and the CASA aircraft.

We have gone over some of this ground before, given the tragedy off the Mayo coast which led to some of the information which was not shared prior to that coming into the public domain.

There are major questions about this. When will the required specialist personnel become available to provide 24-hour cover? When will the Minister of State change the memo to give effect to the Air Corps providing inter-hospital emergency ambulance services, which involves organ transplants for children, or the search and rescue top cover? Has consideration been given to allowing other members of the Air Corps to fly such planes? Some are fully qualified, but are not allowed to fly because they are not officers or pilots.

Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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Let me address the Deputy's first matter first. Ministerial air transport missions are, by their nature, scheduled services where flights are pre-arranged. The standby roster did not service ministerial air transport missions. Standing down the ministerial air transport service was not a solution for the roster and would not improve the availability of services by the Air Corps.

The Learjet that is most frequently used for ministerial transport is not suitable for top cover missions. It is also not a solution for roster problems faced by the Air Corps because a very small number of pilots are qualified to fly it. Therefore, using the Learjet on standby is not an option.

Flying any form of aircraft is not like driving a car. People are specifically qualified and trained, and are required to have service hours, in order to qualify to fly fixed wing aircraft, ministerial air transport, CASA or rotary wing aircraft. Each pilot is required to have specific training for each aircraft. I will revert to the Deputy on the other issue raised, namely that there are people who can fly all aircraft, because I am not aware of that.

Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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I did not say they could fly all aircraft. In fact, anybody who can fly a Learjet has already come through some of the training which would deal with CASA aircraft and is qualified to fly such aircraft. Once a person is qualified to fly a Learjet, he or she is taken off the roster for CASA aircraft. One of the problems is that fully qualified pilots manage to come off rosters. There are enough pilots within the Air Corps to fly CASA aircraft and provide cover, but they are rostered in a different way or are rostered for different duties.

Separate to that, others who are members of the Air Corps work part-time as pilots on CASA aircraft and other planes, including Learjet. Due to the fact that their qualification is external to the Air Corps it is not recognised by it because they are not officers. There is a particular problem within the air force, common to many other air forces around the world, in that the officer class does not recognise those of a lower grade under its terms. The qualifications personnel may have achieved outside of the Air Corps are not recognised because they have not gone through the cadetship programme.

Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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I have been informed that pilots are rated on specific aircraft, which means they have specific flying hours and so on. Anyone who is able to fly a Learjet would have gone through CASA training. I am not aware of the issue raised by the Deputy, but I will revert to him. This is about the safety of whatever mission is required by the Air Corps. The people involved must be highly qualified and trained and have the required amount of flying hours.

Reference was made to inter-hospital transfers. I am aware that the Learjet has been used on occasion for inter-hospital transfers, depending on the availability of aircraft at a particular time. I will revert to the Deputy with further information. I do not want to put something on the record of the House of which I am unsure.