Seanad debates

Thursday, 16 June 2022

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business

 

9:30 am

Photo of Gerard CraughwellGerard Craughwell (Independent) | Oireachtas source

The Air Accident Investigation Unit report into the fatal crash of Rescue 116 and the loss of four very brave search and rescue operators and the subsequent inquest have laid bare the failures of the contract, oversight and all of the agencies involved. It goes back to when the contract was put together. The absence of aviation expertise in both the Department of Transport and the Irish Coast Guard are serious failings that have yet to be addressed by both agencies.

During the inquest, evidence was given into the problems that occurred that night. One of the problem that occurred was the getting of top cover. As we know, once an aircraft goes beyond a certain distance, it loses communications with the mainland and it requires top cover in order to act as a rebroadcast station. Because the contract and the setting up of the search and rescue for the ten-year period did not mandate the Irish Air Corps to have aircraft available all of the time, frequently, those called out on a search and rescue mission have to search around to get top cover. On the particular night in question, the Air Corps was asked if it had somebody available and it did not. The next port of call was the Royal Air Force, RAF. This lays bare the lack of aviation experience on that particular night. In evidence to the inquest, the Coast Guard said it contacted the RAF and sought a Nimrod to carry out the job of top cover. The Nimrod was taken out of service seven years before that fatal night.There were no Nimrods available to the RAF or to anybody else. This was a serious failing in the evidence that was given to the inquest and it has not been challenged by anybody. The Nimrod was taken out of service between 2010 and 2011. The accident took place in 2017. I will be seeking the records of the telephone calls that were made on that night. However, we are in the middle of a process to set up the next ten-year contract. Two of the recommendations of the Air Accident Investigation Unit were that there would be independent aviation expertise in both the Irish Coast Guard and the Department of Transport. Both of those recommendations have yet to be filled. That is fairly serious and we need to get to it. Do not tell me, a Chathaoirligh, that I have crossed some line again.

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