Gerard Craughwell (Independent)

There has been a lot of talk about the purchase of primary radar for the Defence Forces. As a result of the shambolic SAR contract that has been awarded to Bristow Ireland, which came to this country without the resources to take on the contract, the company has now poached four of the air traffic controllers from Baldonnel. We are going to find ourselves with a brand new Government jet that will not be able to fly out of Baldonnel because we will not have air traffic controllers.It will probably be in Ireland West Airport Knock, Shannon Airport or somewhere like that. It certainly will not be in Baldonnel. The availability of the Air Corps to provide flights out of Baldonnel on a 24-7, 365-days-a-year basis is about to be totally and utterly undermined.

In 2021, the Secretary General of the Department of Defence identified a crisis in respect of air traffic controllers. All that was required to keep them was the retention allowance that is paid to pilots. Those responsible have been sitting on the matter since 2021. Nothing has been done. Now, four air traffic controllers have walked out and gone to work for the Bristow Group. Not only that, the Civil Aviation Authority has advertised for further air traffic controllers. Air traffic controllers are in huge demand all over the world. Our Air Corps is going to finish up with three C295 fixed-wing aircraft and a number of PC-9s, PC-12s and helicopters sitting out in Baldonnel unable to take off because we will not have air traffic controllers. This is an outrage, particularly as the problem was identified as far back as 2021 by the Secretary General of the Department. Who has been holding this up? We need a debate on the matter.