Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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353. To ask the Minister for Defence if increasing the air ambulance service's mission hours to 1,400 would require the procurement of an additional helicopter or helicopters; and if so, the cost of same. [36496/15]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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The Air Corps currently plays a significant role in support of the HSE through the provision of an emergency inter-hospital air ambulance service. In 2005, my Department and the Department of Health completed a Service Level Agreement (SLA) which formalised arrangements for the provision of the inter-hospital air ambulance service by the Air Corps. This SLA was renewed in October, 2011 and provides for inter-hospital transfer by air for patients with medical conditions that require urgent treatment at a hospital within Ireland or in the UK. There has been a significant use of this service in recent years with 109 inter-hospital missions being completed in 2014, 102 in 2013 and 108 in 2012.

In addition, the Air Corps also supports the HSE’s Emergency Aeromedical Support (EAS) service which operates on a daily basis out of Custume Barracks, Athlone. This service commenced in June 2012 and was established, initially on a pilot basis, by agreement between my Department and the Department of Health in order to assess the level and type, if any, of dedicated emergency aeromedical support needed to assist the National Ambulance Service, primarily in the west of Ireland. Following a report of an inter-agency EAS Establishment Group which looked at the various options for service provision, a permanent service has now been established following a Government decision in July 2015. This is based on the Air Corps providing a dedicated helicopter operating out of Custume Barracks Athlone, with reserve support being provided by the Irish Coast Guard. Whilst the Government's decision provided that the Air Corps' involvement in the service shall not exceed current levels in terms of the number of helicopters, it was also decided that the various options considered in the report are to be kept under review in the context of ensuring a sustainable long-term service arrangement.