Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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290. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence if he is satisfied that all equipment available to the Air Corps, including aircraft and communications technology, is adequately upgraded and updated in accordance with international best practice; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23434/17]

Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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My priority as Minister with Responsibility for Defence is to ensure that the operational capability of the Defence Forces, including the Air Corps, is maintained to the greatest extent possible so as to enable them to carry out their roles as assigned by Government.

Future equipment priorities for the Air Corps are being considered in the context of the lifetime of the White Paper on Defence as part of the capability development and equipment planning process.

The White Paper provides that the Air Corps will see the Cessna fleet replaced with three larger aircraft suitably equipped for Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition and Reconnaissance tasks. The tender competition for the procurement of the three new aircraft has now commenced with the recent publication of the Request for Tenders on the Etenders website and on the Official Journal of the European Union (OJEU) in accordance with national and EU procurement regulations.

With regard to training aircraft, a decision was made in 2016 to replace a PC-9M aircraft which was written off following a fatal crash in 2009. The replacement PC-9M aircraft, scheduled for delivery this year from Pilatus Aircraft in Switzerland at a cost of €5m plus VAT, will bring the fleet up to 8 and will assist in a required increase in pilot training in the Air Corps.

The White Paper also provides for the replacement of the two CASA 235s Maritime Patrol Aircraft by 2019, with consideration of their replacement with larger more capable aircraft. This would enhance maritime surveillance and provide a greater degree of utility for transport and cargo carrying tasks.

I am satisfied that the current procurements of aircraft as outlined together with the planned courses of action in the White Paper, will continue to ensure that the Air Corps is suitably equipped, in line with international best practice, to fulfil all roles assigned by Government.