Denis Naughten (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Independent)
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20. To ask the Minister for Defence the cost to his Department of the operation of the Emergency Aeromedical Support Service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25608/14]

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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In 2012, a Memorandum of Understanding was agreed between the Department of Defence and the Department of Health in relation to the Air Corps' support of a pilot Emergency Aeromedical Support (EAS) service which is operating out of Custume Barracks, Athlone. The purpose of the pilot is to assess the level and type, if any, of a dedicated EAS service needed to support the National Ambulance Service in the west of Ireland for certain types of patient. The pilot is focused particularly on the requirements of the HSE Clinical Care Programmes, such as Acute Coronary Syndrome and Stroke.

In accordance with the terms of the Memorandum of Understanding, the Department of Defence recoups from the HSE the costs of the Air Corps' participation in the service. These include fixed costs, which are salaries and related personnel costs, as well as day-to-day operating costs. The total costs arising from the second full year of the EAS pilot i.e. from June 2013 to the end of May 2014, amounted to €1,719,522.

In addition, in accordance with a long-standing agreement between the Departments of Defence and Health, the Air Corps also operates an emergency inter-hospital air ambulance service. The costs incurred by the Air Corps in providing this service are well in excess of €1 million per annum and these costs are absorbed entirely by the Department of Defence without charge to the HSE.