Lynn Boylan (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

First and foremost, I commend all those who work in search and rescue on their bravery and their service. As an island nation, the search and rescue helicopters provide essential cover around our coast. Around 800 tasks are carried out every year and the service is responsible for covering a huge area of ocean. The occupation is a dangerous and selfless one. It is also important we acknowledge the sacrifice of the crew in the R116 disaster, who lost their lives off the coast of County Mayo in 2017, and that we think of their families. We know many lives have been saved through rescues and patient transfers. The motion highlights the lives that were saved in the south east by the Waterford-based R117 service.

I welcome the Government decision to change the specifications for the next phase of the search and rescue tender to include retention of the existing four bases. It is essential that search and rescue is maintained in County Waterford. It reflects the strong representation from the south east when members across counties and parties have come together to say the existing bases are needed. It is right to point out that Senator Craughwell has been a tireless advocate for the service and was out front and centre on saving that base in Waterford, along with my colleague, Deputy Cullinane.

We know the Defence Forces have already suffered blow after blow to morale. They have been hollowed out and asset stripped. It is evident from the number of Defence Forces personnel on payments such as the family income supplement. We have heard reports about workers sleeping in their cars and the current pay and conditions not being good enough considering the service the personnel and the Defence Forces provide. That must be improved. Today's debate concerns important and urgent issues for the future of the Defence Forces but also for the matters that Senator Craughwell brought into the public domain in his introductory statement. People might not like or agree with what he had to say, but the points he raised are deeply concerning for members of the Opposition. The only way in which the Minister of State and her Department can put those concerns to bed is by publishing the business case.

From the information that is available, it appears that the business case was designed in a way to ensure that the Department got its preferred choice. This raises serious concerns. We have seen time and again public procurement contracts not delivering good value for money for the public, who pay their taxes and expect the Government to be prudent with how that money is spent. We only have to look to the children's hospital and the roll-out of the national broadband plan to see how we must fight for transparency and details about how their procurement processes were conducted. From what we have heard today, it seems that the business case was deliberately designed to inflate the cost to the Defence Forces of providing the services while playing down the cost to the commercial provider.

Will the Minister of State confirm whether it will be the case that weapons will be carried on commercial flights? I am sure she is aware that that is illegal. Will she clarify this point about the business case saying that helicopters will be carrying armed gardaí? We have seen evidence of breaches of this law at Shannon Airport with US troops passing through it on commercial carriers. Photographs have been taken of them carrying weapons but nothing has been done about it. If the business case is being designed to break the law and public money is to be invested, it raises serious questions.

Senator Craughwell has made compelling arguments about how public money is being spent under this contract. They deserve more detailed answers than have been given. The main way to do that would be through publishing the business case and meeting the request that all stakeholders involved be brought to the committee for full scrutiny by committee members so that these questions can be teased out, we can get answers and we can ensure that the SAR services to be provided under the new contract are fit for purpose, good value for the taxpayer and include a role for the Defence Forces.