Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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37. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence his plans to provide additional resources in 2017 for the Air Corps; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23267/17]

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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As the Minister of State is well aware, there has been much negative commentary on the inadequacy of the Air Corps at present. Can he outline for us what additional investment he will be able to make in both personnel and equipment for the Air Corps in 2017 and how he will try to halt the decline in the activities of the Air Corps and the increasing problems the Air Corps is facing?

Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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With regard to the Air Corps, a key focus for me is on the recruitment of personnel and the initiation of procurement priorities identified in the White Paper on Defence. The Air Corps continues to provide a broad range of services on a daily basis in accordance with its primary security roles, including Army and Naval Service supports, maritime patrols and fishery protection and supports in aid to the civil power, such as operation of the Garda helicopters and fixed-wing fleet. In 2016, as with all other elements of the Defence Forces, the Air Corps responded to 100% of requests for aid to the civil power, comprising 1,350 separate missions, and carried out 297 separate maritime patrol missions in support of the Sea-Fisheries Protection Authority.

In addition, the Air Corps continues to undertake a diverse range of non-security-related tasks, such as providing the emergency aeromedical support service, in addition to inter-hospital transfers and search and rescue supports, which are provided in accordance with relevant service level agreements. Its involvement in the response to the recent gorse fires further exemplifies its utility.

In terms of funding, budget 2017 provided an additional €7 million in capital funding for the overall defence Vote and the updated capital provision for the years 2017 to 2021 now means that there is a capital provision of €406 million available over the current five-year period.

The White Paper provides that the Air Corps Cessna fleet is to be replaced with three larger aircraft suitably equipped for intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition and reconnaissance tasks. In this regard, earlier this month my Department initiated a tender competition for these aircraft. The White Paper also provides for the replacement of the two Air Corps CASA 235 maritime patrol aircraft, with consideration to be given to their replacement with larger more capable aircraft that would enhance maritime surveillance and provide a greater degree of utility for transport and cargo-carrying tasks. In addition, last year my Department placed a contract for a Pilatus PC-9M aircraft to replace the aircraft that was written off following the tragic accident that occurred in 2009, and this aircraft is scheduled for delivery this year at a cost of €5 million plus VAT.

I am satisfied that the range of measures and initiatives being taken will enhance the resources available to the Air Corps and help to ensure that the Defence Forces can continue to fulfil all roles assigned by the Government in the White Paper on defence.

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Minister of State for his reply. He stated the Air Corps was able to respond to all requests for assistance. I did not see any official denial that the Air Corps was not able to respond when the terrible accident occurred off the coast of Erris. The Minister of State might just clarify the position.

With regard to the recruitment and retention of personnel, does the Minister of State intend to introduce an initiative such as the one that existed in regard to the service commitment incentive scheme that retained trained Air Corps personnel? I believe there was a bonus payment of €20,000. A distinguished former senior officer of the Army, former Brigadier General Ger Aherne, was quoted recently as saying, "The cost-benefit analysis of this approach, where the training cost of a pilot is in the region of €1.5m, is a no-brainer." Does the Minister of State intend to introduce such a measure to try to retain Air Corps personnel when they are trained and working so as not to have the Air Corps as a training school for the private sector? It is very important that when we have highly skilled, trained personnel, we retain them.

Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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A service level agreement between my Department and the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport provides that the Coast Guard's search and rescue services can request the support of the Air Corps on an "as available" basis. The Irish Coast Guard, which operates under the aegis of the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport, has overall responsibility for the provision of search and rescue services within the Irish search and rescue region. Availability of Air Corps support is dependent on a number of factors, including the availability of suitable aircraft and flying crews, ATC cover and weather conditions.

We have challenges within the Air Corps associated with pilot retention and air traffic controller retention. There is huge demand in the commercial sector for both of these well-trained and skilled operators. I am not sure whether the Deputy has looked at the report of the Public Service Pay Commission published last week. It highlights the challenges and efficiencies within the Irish Defence Forces. It is now a matter for the public pay talks, which will start on Monday next, to achieve any sort of incentive scheme for pilots.

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Minister of State. I understand that in the past in our country, in much poorer days, we had very sophisticated aircraft for ensuring airspace security. There are very busy air corridors through our sovereign airspace nowadays. In the plans the Minister of State has to purchase new aircraft and perhaps upgrade aircraft, is he proposing additional capacity to ensure we are able to meet our sovereign obligations in regard to our own airspace?

The Minister of State's reply to my supplementary question contradicted his initial reply in regard to the capacity of the Air Corps to respond to requests for assistance.

Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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A letter to the committee from the Department of Defence states the Cessna fleet will be replaced by three larger aircraft, suitably equipped for intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition and reconnaissance tasks. It states the procurement process has commenced. Since we are dealing with the questions of funding and upgrading the fleet of the Air Corps, can the Minister of State outline the process involved?

Can it be considered in the procurement process that these new planes be used to tackle gorse fires, as they could do so on a larger scale than helicopters which did a tremendous job in recent times? A plane, however, fitted out properly, would be able to tackle such fires on a greater scale.

Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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I may come back to the Deputy on the issue because I am in no way qualified to answer the question of whether Cessna aircraft would be able to put out gorse fires.

A service level agreement is in place with the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport which is responsible for the Irish Coast Guard service. We offer backup or top cover on an availability basis to that Department for the Irish Coast Guard and the HSE for inter-hospital transfers through another service level agreement. We have had challenges in the past 12 months in fulfilling these agreements and informed both the Department and the HSE about them. We have been totally upfront in our contacts with both organisations.

Jim Daly (Cork South West, Fine Gael)
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I ask the Minster of State and Members to adhere to the time limits for questions in order that we can get through the next five questions.