As the Deputy is aware, I have established a new Review Board to re-examine certain findings of the draft Final Report of the investigation into the accident involving Rescue 116 at Black Rock, Co Mayo on 14 March 2017.
The Review Board has been established in line with Regulation 16 of Air Navigation (Notification and Investigation of Accidents, Serious Incidents and Incidents) Regulations 2009. The 2009 Regulations provide that the Review Board shall consist of a chairperson (who shall be either a barrister or solicitor of not less than 10 years’ standing, or a person who, in the Minister’s opinion, possesses aeronautical, engineering or other special knowledge or experience of air navigation or aviation). The regulations also provide that the Review Board may also include one or more persons who, in the Minister’s opinion, possesses aeronautical, engineering, legal or other special knowledge, to act as technical assessors to assist the chairperson in conducting the re-examination.
I have appointed Senior Counsel Patrick McCann as the Chairperson and sole member of the Review Board in line with the 2009 regulations.