John Lahart (Dublin South West, Fianna Fail)
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35. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the reason the Air Corps could not provide top cover for the Coast Guard in north County Mayo on 15 March 2017 but was able to provide two helicopters covering a large cash in transit on the M50 towards the mint in Sandyford two days later. [15259/17]

Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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The Deputy will appreciate that the o perational details in relation to any aspect of cash movement missions cannot be disclosed for security reasons. However, in general terms, specific requests for Air Corps involvement in operations results in differing responses depending on the type of operation, the availability of aircraft, the availability of aircrew, weather conditions etc.

On the night of the tragic incident, it was not possible to undertake the Coast Guard request for the Air Corps to provide ‘Top Cover’ because the Air Corps is not providing fixed wing aircraft for routine operations outside normal hours, on an ongoing basis, due to the loss of experienced personnel. There is significant work underway in the Defence Organisation, both civil and military, aimed at improving the capacity of the Air Corps.

The Air Corps continues to provide a broad range of services on a daily basis for a diverse range of tasks such as Army and Naval Service support, the Emergency Aeromedical Service, maritime patrols and fishery protection, the Ministerial Air Transport Service, inter-hospital transfers and Aid to the Civil Power duties including the Garda Air Support Unit and security escorts.