Gerald Nash (Louth, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

688. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the specific constraints (details supplied) that prevent the Air Corps from providing a full 24-hour service to the HSE; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33633/20]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The HSE’s Aeromedical Desk in its National Emergency Operations Centre is responsible for the co-ordination of transport arrangements for paediatric organ transplant transfers to the UK. Air transport for these patients is currently provided in three ways: Air Corps fixed-wing and rotor-wing aircraft; Irish Coast Guard rotor-wing aircraft; and private air ambulance providers.

As one of the components of the Defence Forces, the Air Corps contributes to all roles assigned by Government including responsibilities relating to the provision of Aid to the Civil Power and maritime security tasks. Like other elements of the Defence Forces, the Air Corps also undertakes other roles in accordance with agreed Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) and Service Level Agreements (SLAs).

In this context, the Department of Defence has an SLA with the Department of Health and the HSE for the Air Corps to use its fleet of helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft to transport patients and medical teams between hospitals within Ireland and the UK, on an as available basis. In accordance with the SLA, this availability is dependent upon the availability of suitable aircraft, the availability of flying crews and the suitability of weather conditions. The terms of the SLA do not provide for the Air Corps to deliver a dedicated, 24/7 transport service. This approach was maintained in the White Paper on Defence (2015) which stated that the Air Corps will continue to provide an emergency inter-hospital transfer service in support of the HSE on an as available basis. This means that fixed or rotary wing aircraft are not required to be on standby for this purpose. However, if such aircraft and personnel are available when requested for a mission, they can be deployed.

The level of availability of Air Corps aircraft for non-scheduled inter-hospital transfer tasks has reduced in recent years in respect of night time hours. As has been acknowledged, recruitment and retention issues in the Defence Forces are resulting in operational challenges primarily across the Naval Service and Air Corps. A range of actions have been taken to date to address these recruitment and retention issues and further actions are currently being progressed. These steps are enhancing capacity in the Air Corps with a view to a return to previous levels of capability.

I can assure the Deputy, however, that the Air Corps continues to provide support for emergency inter-hospital transfers on an “as available” basis, having regard to available capabilities and its primary security responsibilities. To date in 2020, the Air Corps completed a total of 45 inter-hospital missions utilising aircraft from the entire fleet, 31 of which were to the UK, including one priority transfer. Five-missions were outside of the agreed Service Level Agreement whereby the Air Corps provided the requested air transport of patients to or from mainland Europe. Over 20% of all emergency inter-hospital support occurred at the weekend.