Denis Naughten (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Independent)
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836. To ask the Minister for Defence the current cost to his Department and the Air Corps of the operation of the air ambulance service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46015/13]

Denis Naughten (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Independent)
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837. To ask the Minister for Defence the total number of deployments of the Air Corps air ambulance service since its establishment; if he will provide a numerical breakdown of the range of missions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46016/13]

Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 836 and 837 together.

In accordance with the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) agreed between my Department and the Department of Health in relation to the pilot Emergency Aeromedical Support (EAS) service which operates out of Custume Barracks, Athlone, my Department recoups from the HSE the costs associated with the Air Corps’ participation in the pilot service. The costs that are recouped are fixed costs of €186,024 per quarter (which includes salaries and related personnel costs) and operating costs of €1,620 per flying hour, as well as any other miscellaneous costs that may be incurred by the Air Corps.

From the commencement of the pilot EAS service on 4 June 2012 until 31 October 2013 the Air Corps has completed a total of 464 EAS missions. These included cases of segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), trauma, medical, paediatric and other time-critical cases, as tasked by the HSE’s National Aero-Medical Coordination Centre. To date, STEMI and suspected STEMI related missions have accounted for almost one-third of completed EAS missions. While the focus of the pilot service has been on the West of Ireland, and the majority of missions completed to date have been to counties in the West and Midland regions, patients throughout the country who met the clinical criteria have benefitted from the pilot service.

Following a review of the pilot service carried out earlier this year by an inter agency Audit and Evaluation Group established under the MOU, a Report was submitted for consideration by my colleague, the Minister for Health. Following a request from the Minister for Health, I have agreed to extend the Air Corps’ participation in the pilot in order to allow the Minister an opportunity to give consideration to the Report and to examine the options for the implementation of its recommendations.