Gerard Craughwell (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I am sorry for dragging the Minister of State, Deputy Kehoe, into the House, but these are important issues that need to be aired in public. My colleague, Senator Wilson, has addressed the issue of the high-level group within the Defence Forces and the Department of Defence that met in 2015 and 2016. It is my understanding its recommendations were ignored until July this year. All of the delivery dates, on which the Taoiseach gave assurances in July, have passed and nothing has been done.

So as not to take a lot of the Minister of State’s time, I will go through a number of questions very quickly. He has said Irish Community Rapid Response is going to provide cover from County Roscommon during the time when the Air Corps service will not be available. I understand the organisation has one helicopter. From where is the second helicopter coming? Is it being chartered? If so, who will pay for it and what will the cost be?

Is it true that if the number of pilots falls by another one or two, the emergency ambulance service stationed in Athlone will not be available in March? How can the Minister of State guarantee that the service will available into the future? It is my understanding there is a need for ten crews to make the service viable and that we are down to three. Given that senior officers are being deployed to Athlone from Baldonnel, what assurances can the Minister of State give that there is proper supervision in the home base in Baldonnel of the people they will leave behind when they move to Athlone to take over flying duties? Will the Minister of State explain why we are not paying the senior officers who put their lives at risk in carrying out emergency flights all over the country which, as he has pointed out, have been extremely successful the same allowance as other pilots? Will he give me an assurance that they will receive the same allowances as every other pilot who flies, regardless of rank? If they are in the air, they should receive their allowances.

The Minister of State adverted to the recommissioning of pilots. It is my understanding two lieutenant colonels have been recommissioned, neither of whom is flying in an operational capacity. Will they fly as lieutenant colonels or as administrative officers? What other pilots are in the pipeline to be recommissioned in the near future?

We find ourselves in a situation where the people of counties Roscommon, Mayo and Sligo and in various other rural parts of the country are really worried about the availability of helicopters. Many of those watching the debate need to know where we are precisely on all of these issues.