asked the Minister for Defence if he is aware that, due to cutbacks, the Royal Air Force operations on the west coast of Britain are curtailed; and the action he will take to provide an air rescue service for the west of Ireland.
42.
Ceisteanna — Questions. Oral Answers. - Air Rescue Service.
1.
asked the Minister for Defence if he will implement the West Coast Search and Rescue and Action Committee report which proposes amongst other matters to have the search and rescue service transferred from Baldonnell, County Dublin, to Shannon airport, County Clare; if he has satisfied himself that such a course of action is warranted because of the danger of accidents along the west coast; and the date he proposes for such a relocation.
100.
asked the Minister for Defence the cost of stationing a search and rescue helicopter facility at Shannon airport; the number of aircraft and personnel involved; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
101.
asked the Minister for Defence if it is proposed to establish a helicopter search and rescue base in the west of Ireland; and if he will consider Galway barracks a suitable location for such a base.
Limerick West): I propose to take Questions Nos. 1, 42, 100 and 101 together.
An interdepartmental committee have recently furnished a report on the question of the deployment of search and rescue helicopters and this is being studied in my Department and the Department of the Marine. Pending a decision on the issues raised in the report, I am not in a position to furnish the information sought.
Can the Minister tell us what service his Department would be able to provide if the service provided by the Royal Air Force were to be cut off in the morning? Could he also tell us how many landings our helicopter pilots have made at night time?
(Limerick West): The eventuality which the Deputy summarised does not arise. As regards the second part of the Deputy's question, I do not have the information which he requires available but if he puts down a specific question I will be very glad to give it to him.
Two weeks ago a boy of 15 years of age had to be rescued on the Aran Islands by an RAF helicopter. If such a rescue had to take place again could the Minister tell us, if those facilities were not available from the Royal Air Force, how we would respond?
(Limerick West): I would like to remind the Deputy that a question dealing with the matter comes up later.
I tabled my question as a priority question. Does the Minister believe that the air and sea rescue service should be relocated at Shannon from Baldonnell?
(Limerick West): A report on the matter which the Deputy has raised is being considered by my colleague, the Minister for the Marine, and myself. What the Deputy has suggested is being considered very carefully as indeed are all the other reports which have been presented to us by various committees. That report is now with the Minister for the Marine and myself. We are studying that report and will be in a position to make suggestions and recommendations to the Government very shortly.
The Minister's reply is very disappointing in the sense that surely at this stage he must have some views on what is a general policy matter. Is the Minister aware of the immense difficulties which fishermen on the west coast, along with islanders, are having to put up with? What I am trying to get at is that it is a policy decision that is required. We have the Dauphin helicopters and people have been trained to fly them. Therefore, it is now a question of strategy — where do we get the best value? Does the Minister believe that the service should be relocated at Shannon from Baldonnell?
(Limerick West): As I have already stated, it is more than a matter of relocating the helicopters at Shannon or elsewhere——
The whole fleet.
(Limerick West): The east coast has also to be taken into consideration. Therefore, it is a very complicated matter. As I have said, we are examining the report. We hope to reach a consensus very shortly following which recommendations will be made to the Government. I have taken into account what the Deputy has said and let me say to him that it was not for the first time today that we had to undertake rescue operations on the west coast, or indeed yesterday or since I became Minister. At least this Government are doing something about the matter whereas the Government of which the Deputy was a member who were in office for four and a half years failed to do something about this matter.
We bought the helicopters.
I call on Deputy Cooney. I am going to call Deputies in the order in which their names appear on the Order Paper.
Deputy Cooney's name does not come first.
Deputy Cooney is next according to my list, Deputy.
If the Deputy looks at his Order Paper he will see that my question, Question No. 100, comes next. In view of the fact that this matter has been agitated for for some time can the Minister tell us if he has any idea at this stage of the order of magnitude of the cost of placing this facility on the west coast and the approximate number of aircraft and personnel that would be involved now that the Minister has enhanced capacity due to the action of the last Government in expanding the helicopter squadron?
(Limerick West): Again, the matter which the Deputy has raised is being considered. Of course, the cost is a very important factor which has to be considered in the overall context. I appreciate what the Deputy has said but let me say to him that when the recommendations are made to the Government I have no doubt a decision will be made immediately as to which is the best location for the helicopters.
Would the Minister accept that because of the limited range of the Dauphin helicopter it makes little sense to have the squadron based on the east coast? Would he accept the validity of the argument put forward by the West Coast Search and Rescue and Action Committee in their report which recommends that the squadron be located on the west coast, either at Shannon or at some other suitable location given the limited range of the Dauphin helicopter? Perhaps the Minister might also comment on whether we bought the correct type of helicopter when we purchased the Dauphins.
(Limerick West): The Dauphins have been purchased. I have the report of the West Coast Search and Rescue and Action Committee and that is being examined by the Department of the Marine and my own Department having regard to the fact that recommendations will be made very shortly to the Government. As the Deputy will appreciate, responsibility for the search and rescue service is not confined to my Department, it also spreads to the Department of the Marine. Jointly, we are having all aspects of the matter and all the reports considered very carefully.
Would the Minister accept that what is required is a political decision in the matter of relocation of the helicopter service from where it is presently situated and that there will be vested interests who will oppose such relocation? Would he recognise because of the urgency of the matter and the expansion of fishery and shipping activities off the west coast that this is a matter which requires an early decision? Could the Minister indicate whether a decision will be taken before Christmas?
(Limerick West): I can assure the Deputy that it is a political decision which is required. The points which the Deputy has raised will be very carefully considered but I am not in a position at this stage to say whether a decision will be made by the Government before Christmas but I can assure the Deputy that it will be taken within the shortest possible time.
One final question——
I am sorry, Deputy, but we cannot dwell too long on this question as there are many other questions to be dealt with. I will allow one very brief question from Deputy Molloy.
(Interruptions.)
I am going to move on to the next question when Deputy Molloy sits down as there are too many Deputies offering. I cannot allow a debate on this matter today.
As I have already indicated, this matter requires a political decision. Is the Minister aware of a promise which was given by the Taoiseach at the time of the last general election that he would locate a helicopter for such services on the west coast? Why is there a delay in making a decision?
(Limerick West): As I have already indicated to Deputy Molloy and other Deputies, a decision will be made in regard to the relocation of helicopters, if any, in due course, when the full contents of every report before us will be examined in detail. I am not going to be pressurised into commenting beforehand.
A Cheann Comhairle——
Very briefly, I want to seek clarification of a point made by the Minister——
I am calling Question No. 2.
I should like to request the Minister to convey a message to the Air Corps——
Deputies will resume their seats. I am calling Question No. 2.