Gerard Craughwell (Independent) | Oireachtas source

There has been some discussion here of the storm and the response to it. I published a document some time ago that I also circulated to Members of the House. I will circulate it to Members again. It is about the requirement to have a statutory-based, overarching emergency management system in the State. We are one of the few states in Europe that does not have a statutory emergency management system.

The other issue I wish to bring up is search and rescue. We have been banging this issue to death for the past four years and it looks like we are on the way to doing so for another four years. We awarded a contract to Bristow for €800 million. It took over the Shannon base in October 2024. Shannon is not operational from 8 p.m. to 8 a.m. There is, therefore, no cover for the Atlantic coast from Shannon from 8 p.m. until 8 a.m. Recently, we had to bring generators to the Aran Islands. Part of the contract entails being able to carry under the aircraft heavy goods that have to be shipped, like generators. Who did this job? It was CHC, the old contractor in Sligo. It came to Clare, next door to Shannon, picked up the generators and brought them to the Aran Islands.

It is simply unbelievable at this stage that the contractor awarded an €800 million contract is unable to provide a 24-7, 365 days service in Shannon. It was due to take over Sligo this Friday, but CHC has just been notified that it will be required to remain in Sligo indefinitely. Somebody somewhere has to start answering for this situation. I attempted in the previous Oireachtas to get the Secretary General of the Department to come before the relevant joint committee to deal with this issue. We were told that Secretaries General did not answer to the Oireachtas. It was the Minister who would answer. We need to put an end to this situation. We need to get search and rescue up and running. The State needs a 24-7, 365 days service. If the Leader would not mind, I call for a debate on this matter.