Pádraic McCormack (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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Question 278: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the reason it is necessary when there is an emergency and where a helicopter is needed for the Aran Islands that the local doctor there is obliged to contact the Air Corps Services, Baldonnell for an emergency helicopter which costs €4,000 for each trip while at the same time a company (details supplied) can provide this service for €400; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22638/08]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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An air ambulance service is provided by the Air Corps on the basis of a Service Level Agreement prepared by the Departments of Defence and Health and Children in consultation with the Health Service Executive, the Defence Forces and the Air Corps, all of which are signatories to it. This arrangement has operated successfully for a number of years and was renewed in November 2007 to take account of the air ambulance capabilities of new aircraft acquired by the Air Corps.

The air ambulance service is provided by the Air Corps for the following categories:

Inter-hospital transfer of patients with spinal or other serious injury or illness,

Neonates requiring immediate medical intervention in Ireland,

Patients requiring specialised emergency treatment in the UK,

Organ retrieval teams within Ireland,

Paediatric patients requiring immediate medical intervention in Ireland.

In addition the Irish Coast Guard provides Air Ambulance inter-hospital transfers as part of its mission tasking and also provides for emergency medical evacuation from the islands around Ireland. In situations where the Coast Guard service is not available the Air Corps will transport patients from offshore islands to mainland hospitals. My Department has requested the Parliamentary Affairs Division of the Executive to arrange to have the particular matter raised by the Deputy considered and to have a reply issued directly to the Deputy.