Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 25 Feb 1998

Vol. 487 No. 7

Written Answers. - Air Corps Strength.

Frances Fitzgerald

Question:

12 Ms Fitzgerald asked the Minister for Defence the number of applications to retire which have been received to date in 1998 from pilot officers of the Air Corps; the ranks of the applicants and the aircraft types on which they hold a current rating; the number of these applications which have been granted; when the Price Waterhouse report on the Air Corps will be available; the proposals, if any, he has for consultation with the representative associations; the way in which he intends to deal with the staffing shortages in the Air Corps at pilot level; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5262/98]

Minister for Defence (Mr. M. Smith)

To date in 1998 applications for permission to retire have been submitted by two pilot officers of the Air Corps, one a commandant with a current rating on the Gulfstream IV aircraft and the other a captain with a current rating on the Squirrel helicopter. Both applications are currently under consideration.

I understand Price Waterhouse Management Consultants have completed their work and will submit their final report to the efficiency audit group in early March. It is my intention to publish this report as early as possible. Any matters arising from this review that come within the scope of representations will of course be the subject of consultation with the representative associations.

The service commitment scheme for Air Corps pilots introduced by my Department last year, with ongoing training of pilots and annual recruitment of Air Corps cadets, is intended to ensure a continuous supply of well trained pilots for the Air Corps. There are currently seven senior Air Corps cadets in training and a further ten cadets are due to commence training in May this year. A further intake of Air Corps cadets is planned for the autumn.