Gerard Craughwell (Independent) | Oireachtas source

The Minister of State talked about the expertise that was available. She spoke specifically about the expertise brought in on the matter of search and rescue. I assume we are talking about the same company we have always spoken about, which is the company from Scotland, Aerossurance. I have repeatedly asked what expertise this company has. The Minister of State and the Minister have written to me and told me that this particular individual, and it is a one-man operation, brings in the expertise that he needs from time to time. I have looked at his balance sheet and there are no debtors and no creditors for three years on those balance sheets. How can someone contract in expertise and not finish up with debtors and creditors? I am seriously concerned. I would like the Minister of State to put on record the expertise this company has because the individual concerned is not a pilot and has not flown search and rescue, SAR. He is advising the Department on search and rescue and is a one-man operation. The only time I have seen a second individual involved was in the most recent report.

The Air Accident Investigation Unit advised and recommended that aviation expertise be brought into the Department and the Irish Coast Guard. Recently, the Department had two tenders out for aviation expertise. It is a little confusing. Was the first tender a mistake and a second tender issued? Have we tendered for two different experts to advise on the search and rescue side of the house? The bottom line is that I am very concerned. We are entering into a situation on the search and rescue side where we are possibly looking at a contract worth €1 billion or €1.5 billion for five helicopters on four bases, whereas our colleagues in the UK got 18 helicopters for 12 bases for €1.6 billion and nobody is prepared to talk about that. I have been kicked from one Department to the next. What expertise and qualifications has that expert to advise the Department on this particular issue?