Bríd Smith (Dublin South Central, People Before Profit Alliance)
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195. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the process under which sea air rescue services are intended to be procured in 2023; if there is a review into the operation of the previous contracts; if the Defence Forces will have a role in its future operations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25106/21]

Hildegarde Naughton (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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The procurement process for the new Search and Rescue Aviation service has commenced in compliance with the Public Spending Code. The current status of the process can be referenced in the Published eTenders update on eTenders and a dedicated page on Gov.ie (SAR Webpage). This is an on-going deliberative process which will ultimately lead to a Government decision so I am limited in what I can say in relation to this at the moment.

The process itself commenced in November 2019 with the establishment of a Steering Group in my Department under the Chair of the Director of the Irish Coast Guard and a variety of state stakeholders including other Government Departments and agencies with an interest in the SAR aviation service. This was with a view to ensuring a whole of Government approach to the management of this process.

A first key step was to prepare a Strategic Assessment and Preliminary Appraisal. This went to Government in July 2020. This document included a strategic assessment setting out the context for SAR aviation programme, an organisational overview, and a survey of existing policies and strategies relevant to the programme. It identified the spending objectives of the programme including existing arrangements and relevant business needs. It also included an appraisal of various service delivery options, including where the state assumed full responsibility for the service, either through the Air Corps or a dedicated IRCG Aviation Branch.

While it was accepted that the Air Corps could not assume responsibility for this service on the basis of that initial assessment, my Department was requested in November of 2020 by the Department of Defence to consider the viability of the Air Corps providing some element of the IRCG’s aviation service. This consideration is being done as part of the detailed business case currently being prepared by KPMG along with all other viable options for the delivery of this vital service.

The outcome of the business case will go to Government over the Summer and it is expected that a tender will issue shortly thereafter. Regardless of the outcome of this process, the Defence Forces will continue to play a vital partnership role in the delivery of Search and Rescue services for the State working closely with the Irish Coast Guard.