Pádraic McCormack (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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Question 510: To ask the Minister for Defence the cost of the air corps helicopter per flight in transporting a patient from the Aran Islands to University College Hospital, Galway; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25431/08]

Willie O'Dea (Limerick East, Fianna Fail)
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A Service Level Agreement between my Department and the Department of Health and Children for the provision of an Air Ambulance Service by the Air Corps was signed in September 2005 to formalise the arrangements for the existing service in relation to the provision of an air ambulance service. The signatories to the agreement are the Department of Health and Children, the Department of Defence, the Health Service Executive, the Defence Forces and the Air Corps.

The Air Ambulance Service as provided by the Air Corps is an emergency inter-hospital transfer service for the essential rapid transfer of patients requiring urgent medical treatment. The service is provided by the Air Corps in the following circumstances:

1. Inter-hospital transfer of patients with spinal or other serious injury or illness;

2. Air transport of Neonates requiring immediate medical intervention in Ireland;

3. Air transport of patients requiring specialised emergency treatment in the UK;

4. Air Transport of Organ Retrieval Teams within Ireland;

5. Air Transport of patients from offshore islands to mainland hospitals where the Coast Guard service is not available;

6. Air Transport of paediatric patients between the ages of six weeks and 16 years requiring immediate medical intervention.

The Air Corps does not offer, and the agreement does not encompass, a Helicopter Emergency Medical Service primary response capability, nor is it intended as a precursor to the development or implementation of such a service by the Air Corps.

The Air Corps operates two helicopter types with air ambulance capabilities, the AW139 and the EC135. The mission flying time from Baldonnel — Aran Islands — University College Hospital Galway — Baldonnel is 1 hour 40 minutes for the AW139, and 2 hours for the EC135. The direct cost per flying hour for the AW139 is €1,197, and the direct cost per flying hour for the EC135 is €639. Based on these figures, the cost of using the AW139 for an air ambulance mission from Aran Islands to University College Hospital Galway would be €1,995; and the cost of using the EC135 would be €1,278.