Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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76. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the steps taken by his Department to increase the capacity of the Air Corps to provide priority air transfers for medical treatment in view of the fact that the service was suspended in 2016. [52872/17]

Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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The Air Corps provides a broad range of services in accordance with its primary security role.  It also undertakes a diverse range of non-security-related tasks on an ‘as available’ basis. This includes providing an inter-hospital service on an ‘as available’ basis to the HSE, providing for the transfer of patients, including priority 1 patients, to the UK using Air Corps Aircraft.

The inter-hospital service is overseen by the National Aero-medical Coordination Centre of the HSE and the Air Corps is only one element of the overall service delivery provision; the Irish Coast Guard and the private sector being the other elements of service provision.  

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. In the Air Corps the loss of experienced personnel led to the suspension of the standby roster for out-of-hours and weekend contingencies. However, the Deputy may wish to note that during 2017 to end November, the Air Corps has carried out 28 Inter-Hospital Air Ambulance transfers to the UK at the request of the HSE, three of which were priority one transfers relating to children requiring urgent organ transplants.

In the Air Corps, there are particular challenges with vacancies in certain specialist posts such as Pilots, Air Traffic Controllers and certain Technicians. These specialists can prove difficult to retain where, as in the current economic circumstances, there are ongoing private sector and commercial semi-state sector job opportunities. The retention of such specialists has proved challenging for many military forces internationally.

The fact that further consideration by the Public Service Pay Commission of recruitment and retention issues is provided for under the Public Service Stability Agreement 2018-2020, is a welcome development.

At Defence Organisation level, a Working Group comprised of Civil and Military personnel was established to look at ways of addressing the issue of how to retain sufficiently experienced Pilot Officers within the Air Corps. The Working Group’s report contained a number of recommendations ranging from increasing recruitment levels to examining the current terms and conditions of pilots. Work on the implementation of the Working Group’s recommendations is currently ongoing by both Civil and Military staff of the Defence Organisation. In addition, and as part of a wider initiative, the possibility of recruiting former personnel who have left the Defence Forces is also being examined.  

Two classes of Apprentice Military Aircraft Technicians began training during 2017. Ten cadet pilots began their training in October with other cadet classes already in training. Five cadet pilots received their “Wings” in October.

It is important to note that while there is significant action under way, there is a requirement to continue to build the capacity of the Air Corps and it will take some time for a return to previous levels of capability.

I can assure the Deputy, however, that the Air Corps will continue to provide support for emergency inter-hospital transfers on an “as available” basis, having regard to available capabilities and its primary security responsibilities.