Pádraig Mac Lochlainn (Donegal, Sinn Fein)
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210. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport to confirm that a company (details supplied), the provider of the Irish Coast Guard’s search and rescue aviation service are actively recruiting in Ireland for positions in this service. [35151/25]

Seán Canney (Galway East, Independent)
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As Minister of State for International & Road Transport, Logistics, Rail & Ports, I have responsibility for the Irish Coast Guard and the SAR Aviation Contract.

Coast Guard Helicopter Search and Rescue (SAR) services are provided under contract, which is currently transitioning from the incumbent contractor, CHCI, to Bristow Ireland Limited (BIL).

As with the existing CHCI contract, recruitment is solely managed by the contracted service provider. While I have no role in the recruitment of staff by the contractor, I understand that Bristow Ireland has been engaging with the three trade unions associated with Coast Guard SAR operations ever since it was awarded the contract in 2023. Bristow Ireland has also actively engaged directly with the cohort of CHCI staff and has measures in place to enable them transfer seamlessly to Bristow Ireland, in parallel with the transition of each individual SAR base.

Bristow Ireland is contracted to operate four bases at Sligo, Shannon, Waterford and Dublin (Weston) thus providing a spread of regional employment opportunities for suitably qualified personnel across the various disciplines of the business.