Jim O'Keeffe (Cork South West, Fine Gael)
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Question 55: To ask the Minister for Defence the number of times the Air Corps has been requested to assist in search and rescue at Glendalough, County Wicklow since 1 January 2005; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23987/06]

Willie O'Dea (Limerick East, Fianna Fail)
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The Air Corps has not received any requests from the Irish Coast Guard or any other agency to assist in a Search and Rescue mission at Glendalough, Co. Wicklow since 1 January 2005.

The Irish Coast Guard has overall responsibility for the provision of maritime Search and Rescue services within the Irish Search and Rescue Region. The Air Corps withdrew entirely from the provision of Search and Rescue (SAR) services in October, 2004, following a handover of this role to CHCI, a private operator, which now provides the service at the country's SAR bases at Dublin, Shannon, Waterford and Sligo. I understand that the mission list for the Coast Guard's service includes air ambulance, island relief, medevac, etc.

However, the Air Corps continues to provide limited non-maritime search and rescue response and the specification for the new helicopters being acquired for the Air Corps has this capability.

The White Paper on Defence establishes the roles of the Defence Forces as including the provision of service to civil authorities as and when required. The Defence Forces have never been found wanting in this regard, and in the event of an emergency request from the Coast Guard, or, indeed from any other service, the Air Corps will obviously respond to any such request in its usual efficient and supportive manner and to the best of its capability.