Joe O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Green Party)
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241. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the status of the tendering process for a new search and rescue contract; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25667/21]

Joe O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Green Party)
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242. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if it is envisaged that the Air Corps will provide a significant part of the next generation of the State search and rescue aviation service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25668/21]

Hildegarde Naughton (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 241 and 242 together.

The current status of the procurement process can be referenced in the Published eTenders update on eTenders and our SAR Webpage

In November 2020 the Secretary General of Department of Defence requested the Secretary General of the Department of Transport to explore the option of the Air Corps providing some element of the IRCG’s aviation service as part of the business case in November 2020.  

On foot of this request, an Air Corps submission was received by my Department last March. The submission is being reviewed by KPMG who have been contracted to prepare the detailed business case in line with the requirements of the Public Spending Code. As it is part of a deliberative process which will lead to a Government decision in due course, it would not be appropriate for me to comment further.