Jack Chambers (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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155. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the emergency aeronautical support operations undertaken in 2016, 2017 and to date in 2018; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15976/18]

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.  The Air Corps also undertakes a diverse range of non-security-related tasks on an ‘as available’ basis including the provision of air ambulance services to the Health Service Executive (HSE). 

The HSE’s Aeromedical Desk in its National Emergency Operations Centre is responsible for the co-ordination of all health related air transport which comprises emergency aeromedical support and the inter-hospital service. The Air Corps, Irish Coast Guard and private air ambulance operators provide air transport for patients.

The emergency aeromedical support service operates on a daily basis out of Custume Barracks, Athlone. This service operates during daylight hours with particular emphasis on the west of Ireland.  The principal objective of the service is to provide rapid treatment and transport of patients by helicopter. Since the commencement of this service in June 2012 the Air Corps has completed over 2,000 missions with 90 missions to-date in 2018.

The Air Corps inter-hospital service operates out of Casement Aerodrome, Baldonnel on an “as available” basis and provides emergency air transport for patients requiring organ transplants in the UK; for spinal and serious injuries and illnesses; for neonates requiring immediate medical intervention within Ireland; and for Organ Retrieval Teams within Ireland. 

The following table sets out the number of missions undertaken by this service in 2016, 2017 and to date in 2018.