Gerald Nash (Louth, Labour)
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116. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport further to Parliamentary Question No. 196 of 15 December 2020, if his Department or a company it has engaged with carried out a cost-benefit analysis with regard to the State owning the helicopters for this service over the length of their expected life span, that is, 20 years plus; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3859/21]

Hildegarde Naughton (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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My Department has not engaged a company to carry out a Cost Benefit Analysis specifically in relation to owning helicopters as part of the new SAR aviation contract. A Strategic Assessment and Preliminary Appraisal has been conducted which considered various options for delivery of the next SAR Aviation Contract. This Appraisal went to Government for information as a first step in the Public Spending Code (PSC) process. KPMG have been appointed since early November to carry out the detailed business/economic assessment in line with the requirements of the Public Spending Code which includes inter alia an Economic appraisal of various viable options. The process is on-going and will lead to a Government decision ultimately and one that involves a significant public procurement. As such, it would not be appropriate for me to release any specific details in relation to considerations around any one of the options considered.