Joe McHugh (Donegal North East, Fine Gael)
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Question 304: To ask the Minister for Defence in view of ongoing forest and gorse fires at various locations throughout the country, if he will consider providing fire fighting services from Defence Forces helicopters; if he will consider the comparative effectiveness and efficiency of aerial fire fighting as distinct from ground fire fighting, with specific reference to the usage of helicopter buckets and bambi buckets, which have the capacity to deliver 2,600 gallons of water; if he will examine the possibility of establishing a national aerial fire fighting service with three or four of these helicopter buckets; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10303/11]

Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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The provision of fire fighting services is primarily a matter for the local authorities. Fire service provision, including the assessment of fire cover needs and the making of such other provisions as it considers necessary or desirable, is a statutory function of individual fire authorities under Section 10 of the Fire Services Act 1981. The White Paper on Defence (2000) does however provide for the Air Corps to assist and support the civil authorities. In that regard, the Air Corps responded to a request from the local authorities on Sunday 1st May last to deploy Air Corps assets to assist fire-fighting efforts in Counties Donegal and Mayo. Helicopters fitted with specialist under slung bambi buckets were deployed continually up until Wednesday 4th May last to release water on fires in Co. Donegal.

In addition to their military roles, Air Corps helicopters carry out a variety of taskings including air ambulance, inland Search and Rescue and support to An Garda Síochána. It is therefore not possible to dedicate these assets exclusively to a fire fighting role. I understand from my colleague, the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, Mr. Phil Hogan, T.D., that he has no plans to establish a national aerial fire fighting service.