Joanna Tuffy (Dublin Mid West, Labour)
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Question 311: To ask the Minister for Transport the role of the Air Corps in providing the Marine Search and Rescue Coast Guard Helicopter Service; the funding provided to the Air Corp, in each of the past three years for the delivery of this service; if there are plans to downgrade this service; if there are plans to outsource this service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20078/10]

Noel Dempsey (Meath West, Fianna Fail)
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Delivery of aeronautical maritime search and rescue commenced in Ireland in September 1991 with the transfer of the Shannon base to civilian service delivery. The entire national aeronautical maritime search and rescue service has been fully transferred to contract delivery since 2004. The Air Corps provides support to the Coast Guard as the need arises and within their available capability, in accordance with the roles assigned by Government in the White Paper on Defence. The Air Corps was withdrawn from maritime search and rescue in 2004 and there are no plans to reconsider this decision. Current Air Corps helicopter assets are not configured for maritime search and rescue nor does it have pilots or winch men with the required training and experience to support such operations.

Air Corps funding is a matter for my colleague the Minister for Defence. However I am advised that there are no specific funds allocated from the Defence Vote for the provision of search and rescue services by the Air Corps.

The Government has recently approved a continuance of the current arrangements for provision of maritime search and rescue capability in Ireland using modern helicopters. The new contract, which will run to 2023, will represent a stepped improvement in the capacity, range, speed and capability of the service. It is a major advancement for search and rescue in Ireland at a time of serious budgetary constraints.