Jerry Cowley (Mayo, Independent)
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Question 63: To ask the Minister for Transport the reason a person from Clare Island, County Mayo in advanced labour and a patient of Mayo General Hospital, who was airlifted by the Air Corps search and rescue team at 4.45 a.m. on 14 February 2006 did not arrive in Mayo General Hospital until 3.35 p.m. on 15 February 2006 due to current civil aviation law where a helicopter with two or more passengers can only land at an airport and not at a hospital, in this case it was Sligo airport, where the woman was then moved by taxi to Mayo General Hospital; if he agrees this is totally unnecessary; if he intends to introduce a change in this law to avoid such a thing happening in the future, which is totally unnecessary and dangerous in emergency cases; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7152/06]

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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The Irish Aviation Authority, IAA, has, since its establishment in 1994, been responsible for the regulation of aviation safety, including that of helicopters, in accordance with internationally agreed standards.

The authority has informed me that, because the helicopter was carrying passengers as well as the woman in labour it was not permitted to land at an unapproved landing site. When a search and rescue helicopter is only carrying a casualty and essential personnel including its crew it is permitted to land at an unapproved site in accordance with an exemption to SI 72 of 2004, Irish Aviation Authority (Rules of the Air) Order 2004. These search and rescue practices adhere to the highest international emergency and safety procedures and as such the IAA does not have any plans to change them.