Diarmuid Wilson (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Kehoe, back to the House.

Lives are being put at risk as a result of the standing down of the air ambulance service operated by the Defence Forces for 16 days over the winter period due I understand to a shortage of pilots between this week and the end of next February 2020. It is extremely concerning for the regions in which people rely on the service to save lives. It will put pressure on this vital service which is used to transfer critically ill persons in need of urgent medical care. The emergency aeromedical service which has operated out of Custume Barracks in Athlone since 2013 has been one of the services hardest hit by the recruitment and retention crisis which is affecting the Defence Forces, into which I do not intend to go in any great detail as we are discussing a specific matter.

I urge the Minister of State to, please, look at the crisis. I understand he has known about it since 2015, following the workplace climate survey conducted by the University of Limerick and departmental reports that indicated an apparent lack of operational experience and mentoring and supervision in the Air Corps. Unfortunately, instead of moving back from the brink in dealing with the retention crisis in the Air Corps, the Minister of State has ignored the red flags, which has resulted in operational capacity going over the cliff edge, with contagion to other services. When was the Minister of State made aware of the difficulties the service was experiencing and what steps has he taken and is taking to try to alleviate the problem? I again thank him for coming to the House to deal with the issue.