Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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13. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence his plans to bring the Air Corps up to its staffing levels needed to perform all of its existing functions and reach its stabilised strength; and when he expects the Air Corps will be in a position to provide top cover for all future emergencies. [15494/17]

Brendan Ryan (Dublin Fingal, Labour)
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14. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence his views on recent media reports on the crisis in Defence Forces personnel numbers and its impact on the Air Corps; his plans to increase the Air Corps capability and staffing levels; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15522/17]

Bríd Smith (Dublin South Central, People Before Profit Alliance)
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30. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence his plans to bring the Air Corps up to staffing levels needed to perform all of its existing functions and reach its stabilised strength; and when he expects the Air Corps will be in a position to provide top cover for all future emergencies. [15427/17]

Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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32. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence when the 28 cadets currently in training will be assigned specialised roles as technicians, fire crews and as air traffic controllers, in tabular form. [15274/17]

Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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42. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the number of qualified air traffic controllers who have left the service since 2010, in tabular form. [15272/17]

Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 13, 14, 30, 32 and 42 together.

As I outlined earlier, the Air Corps is not providing fixed wing aircraft for routine operations, on an ongoing basis, outside normal hours. However, in exceptional circumstances outside of normal hours, the Air Corps can recall personnel, as happened when Rescue 116 went missing.

The reduction in experienced personnel in the Air Corps has not arisen due to cuts in personnel numbers. As with other areas of the public service, challenges have arisen in relation to the recruitment and retention of personnel in particular areas of expertise. The Air Corps has experience retirements of highly experienced personnel and these retirements are outstripping the recruitment and training of replacement personnel. The loss of experienced personnel is driven by a range of factors, including the availability of attractive job opportunities in the private and commercial semi-state sectors. The loss of experience personnel has, in turn, impacted the availability of aircraft. As can be seen from the following table, 12 Air Traffic Controllers have left the service since 2010.

I want to assure the House that every effort is being made to address the personnel requirements of the Defence Forces. In the case of the Air Corps this includes:

- Cadets in training,

- Cadet Recruitment Campaign underway,

- Four personnel will complete Air Traffic Control training between May and September this year,

- The Air Corps is currently inducting a further Air Traffic Control Course,

- NCO vacanci es in the Air Corps will be filled from the recently launched NCO promotion competition and

- An Air Corps apprentice class was also inducted in March 2017.

While there are a number of initiatives underway, realistically it will take time for a return to previous levels of capability in the Air Corps as pilots within the system progress to become aircraft commanders and newly qualified cadets become co-pilots. The approach will be governed by the overarching requirements of safety.

In the meantime, the Irish Coast Guard search and rescue services can draw on the support of the Air Corps on an ‘as available’ basis under a Service Level Agreement between the Department of Defence and the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport, the most recent of which has been in place since 2013.

If requested, and if available, the Air Corps provide Top Cover for the Coast Guard using a CASA fixed-wing maritime patrol aircraft.  Coast Guard helicopters also provide their own Top Cover during Search & Rescue missions.  This will continue to be the case.

As the Air Corps returns to the previous level of capability, services will continue to be provided on an “as available” basis. Availability is dependent on a number of criteria including the availability of suitable aircraft, the availability of flying crews and the suitability of weather conditions.

With regard to Air Corps cadets in training, 27 cadets will be commissioned and earn their wings between the end of this year and 2020.

On successful completion of the Air Corps Cadet syllabus, Cadets will be assigned as Pilot Officers in Air Corps Units. Pilot Officers do not fulfill the role of technicians, fire crew or Air Traffic Controllers. These roles are performed by other Defence Forces personnel.