Gerard Craughwell (Independent) | Oireachtas source

The Leas-Chathaoirleach and Deputy Leader will be aware that I have spoken frequently on the issue of search and rescue, the search and rescue contract and the negotiation of that contract, which has taken place over the past number of years. Last night, I was contacted with respect to the new contract, which includes a fixed-wing element that eliminated the Irish Air Corps from having any role in search and rescue. I was told that the aircraft to be used is a 21-year-old redundant aircraft that once belonged to the RAF. It has been taken in as the fixed-wing element and will be stationed in Shannon. I am sure Senator Maria Byrne will have some interest in this. A 21-year-old aircraft with 8,000 flying hours on it that should have been redundant nine years ago is what we are getting for top cover.

Couple that with the fact that Bristow has been unable to employ the transition team it needs to get the contract up and running. It has been unable to find people to fill those fixed-term 18-month contracts, which means it is missing the start date of 1 November, so the contract will not start on the prescribed day. It is becoming a concern that there are internal difficulties with respect to industrial relations. There are difficulties with respect to crews for the AW189 helicopter that will be used. We now find that the fixed-wing element is not a new aircraft but a redundant former RAF aircraft, which I think is called a King Air, with 8,000 hours flying time. I am reliably informed by those in the industry that this aircraft should be sent out to scrap at this stage. I have no idea of the current situation with the aircraft or its serviceability, but we lost four good people in the last contract with the loss of Rescue 116. This does not bode well for the commencement of this contract. This contract is vital to people living on the western coastline, where the Deputy Leader, who I know has a huge interest in it, lives. It is vital that everything with this contract is done right. Until now, it has certainly not been done right.

The other problem we have is that we are now told that Weston Airport. which it is intended to use, will be the service hub not just for the Irish fleet but also for the Dutch fleet. Weston Airport is now not available because of a fire, but I do not think the number of aircraft that will be flying in and out of it was known when planning permission was granted for the airport to be used as an SAR base. It is not just a SAR base. It will now be a major maintenance base for Irish and Dutch SAR aircraft. I think that will cause serious problems. I will leave it at that, but I ask the Deputy Leader to bring the matter to the Minister's attention because we are running up to the end of the Government.