Pearse Doherty (Donegal, Sinn Fein)
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1225. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his plans to ensure that paramedics working with the Coast Guard shall be offered the opportunity to undergo further upskill training to advanced paramedic level or equivalent and to incorporate this training as part of the employees' professional development and, therefore, permitting them to administer life saving drugs, medicines and pain relief to persons; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13658/17]

Shane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent)
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Following a competitive tender process on 22 July 2010 a contract agreement for search and rescue helicopters was signed between the then Minister for Transport and CHC Ireland Ltd.  The helicopters are operated by CHC Ireland ltd and the fully qualified crews are employees of CHC Ireland Ltd and as such CHC Ireland Ltd and not my Department are responsible for the appropriate training, and qualifications of helicopter crew.

As part of its obligations under the Contract with the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, CHC Ireland Ltd is registered with the Pre-Hospital Emergency Care Council (PHECC) as a recognised provider of Clinical Practice Guidelines (CPG) training.

CHC Ireland Ltd commits to ensuring that each Paramedic and Emergency Medical Technician on its staff achieve CPG standards on a yearly basis. CHC must also appoint a medical Director to oversee the clinical practice of aircrew involved in treating casualties and a lead paramedic with a trainer qualification to ensure the on-the-job supervision of clinical practice and in-service training.