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Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 22 Apr 1998

Vol. 489 No. 7

Other Questions. - Air Corps Personnel.

Gay Mitchell

Question:

21 Mr. G. Mitchell asked the Minister for Defence the number of applications to retire received to date from pilot officers in the Air Corps; the ranks of the applicants; the aircraft types on which they hold a current policy; the number of these applications granted; and the way in which he intends to deal with the staff shortages in the Air Corps at pilot level. [9083/98]

Gay Mitchell

Question:

23 Mr. G. Mitchell asked the Minister for Defence the number of applications to retire received to date from pilot officers in the Air Corps; the ranks of the applicants; the aircraft types on which they hold a current policy; the number of these applications granted; and the way in which he intends to deal with the staff shortages in the Air Corps at pilot level. [9084/98]

Pat Rabbitte

Question:

49 Mr. Rabbitte asked the Minister for Defence the number of personnel serving with the Air Corps and the number of qualified and available pilots; the plans, if any, to recruit civilian pilots to fly the Government jet; the reason for this; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9251/98]

Michael Bell

Question:

52 Mr. Bell asked the Minister for Defence the progress, if any, regarding the training of Air Corps personnel overseas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9317/98]

Thomas P. Broughan

Question:

58 Mr. Broughan asked the Minister for Defence if his Department will consider the inclusion of FCA personnel for Air Corps training; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9319/98]

Paul McGrath

Question:

68 Mr. McGrath asked the Minister for Defence the number of applications to retire received to date from pilot officers in the Air Corps; the ranks of the applicants; the aircraft types on which they hold a current policy; the number of these applications granted; and the way in which he intends to deal with the staff shortages in the Air Corps at pilot level. [9081/98]

Alan M. Dukes

Question:

96 Mr. Dukes asked the Minister for Defence the reason the Air Corps is not in a position to supply all of the pilots required for the Department of the Marine and Natural Resources Sikorski helicopter which will be based at Dublin airport; the steps, if any, he is taking to deal with the shortage of pilots in the Air Corps; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9056/98]

Paul McGrath

Question:

129 Mr. McGrath asked the Minister for Defence the number of applications to retire received to date from pilot officers in the Air Corps; the ranks of the applicants; the aircraft types on which they hold a current policy; the number of these applications granted; and the way in which he intends to deal with the staff shortages in the Air Corps at pilot level. [9082/98]

I propose to take Questions Nos. 21, 23, 49, 52, 58, 68, 96 and 129 together.

To date in 1998 two applications for permission to retire have been received from 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 officers have been granted permission to retire in 1999.

As of 31 March 1998 there was a total of 990 personnel serving with the Air Corps, 86 of whom were qualified pilots.

The service commitment scheme for the Air Corps pilots introduced by my Department last year together with ongoing training of pilots and annual recruitment of Air Corps cadets is intended to maintain 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 of this year. A further intake of Air Corps cadets is planned for the autumn. It may be necessary, however, to engage a civilian pilot or pilots as aircraft captains later this year due to the unprecedented number of retirements from the Air Corps.

Advantage is taken of the availability abroad of aircraft simulators to train Air Corps flying officers. The question of having an Air Corps reserve element is under consideration as part of a special study on the future role of the Reserve Defence Force.

As a result of the high number of retirements, the Air Corps does not have the personnel resources required to service the Department of the Marine and Natural Resources' helicopter based at Dublin Airport.

It is a sad situation for the Air Corps. The Minister mentioned the intake of trainee pilots, which I hope will help. The publication of the Price Waterhouse report is essential because this scenario is all part of that; it is not just about a buoyant economy. Has the Minister taken any decision to increase the intake of trainee pilots? That is one element of what needs to happen.

I must tell the House reluctantly that I am extremely worried about the Air Corps in terms of what has happened to so many experienced pilots in recent years. The Deputy will be aware that taking the 1996, 1997 and 1998 complements together, one is losing almost 30 of the most experienced pilots on the Gulfstream IV, Beechcraft, Dauphin and Casa — the more important elements in our aircraft armoury as far as the Defence Forces are concerned for air and sea rescue, fisheries surveillance, ministerial transport, etc.

I am not blaming anybody. The civil aviation industry just took off and substantial offers are capable of being made to experienced personnel. It has hit us extremely hard. Looking back at the record over the years, we lost three or four pilots to the civil aviation business, but the loss of almost 30 pilots in less than three years is a significant indent into our total resources. I did not know until I became Minister for Defence what was involved in becoming a pilot, with strict aviation criteria for flying that type of aircraft. I knew that those people had to be very skilled and have a lot of experience, but a considerable time is involved in training. In the context of the ongoing recruitment programme, I will see to what extent I can increase the numbers, bearing in mind that the same pressures apply in the Naval Service and the Defence Forces generally in satisfying number requirements.

The problem will not be resolved by simply increasing numbers. Significant changes must be made. I am anxiously awaiting the report on that matter which will help to ensure that, following significant work on the part of the Air Corps involving sophisticated training, we do not become the training ground for a lucrative civil aviation business and are unable as a result to do essential work in sea and air rescue. While I am concerned about this matter, it does not diminish my determination to find solutions to the problem. I will not be false to the House and say that the loss of 30 people in such a short time has not caused horrific problems for us.

I previously asked the Minister about the training of personnel overseas. Has he made a decision on that matter?

I am not responsible for initiating training overseas. Part of the training takes place in the US, France and Spain where off-aircraft systems have been developed which enable substantial training to be provided. We use those facilities whenever possible. We are talking not only about facilities but also the length of time it takes to become a skilled pilot. When trained pilots may be attracted to another business. I will explore every avenue to ensure we continue the kind of operation that took place in the past, but there is a body of activity in the civil aviation business which I cannot compete with in financial terms.

Will the Minister agree his deliberate policy of allowing a run-down in the FCA and the Reserve is leading to a drop in recruitment? Will he agree a 33 per cent drop in the number of recruits in the FCA in the past three years is alarming? The problems with recruitment to the PDF outlined by the Minister are mirrored in the FCA.

One of the risks of a job such as this is that I am blamed for something that may have happened in the 1800s.

The Minister is feeling victimised today.

It is not true that there is no recruitment. I have stated time and again that the stop-go recruitment policy of the past is ended. It caused problems, but we are now on to a new platform. To associate the problem of the FCA, if it is one——

——with the problems in the Air Corps is absurd, and the Deputy knows that.

It is all about morale.

Question Time has concluded and the Minister should not be interrupted.

On general recruitment to the Defence Forces, the Naval Service, the Air Corps and the FCA, this year during difficult times when we had to deal with the question of hearing impairment claims, there was a significantly increased number of applications, about which I am delighted. The scheme is developing and next June another advertisement will be placed. Regardless of what the Deputy does, he will be unable to change what is happening.

Many young people would welcome an opportunity to have a career in the Air Corps and we should provide that opportunity for them and for the country. There is a serious problem with recruitment and an action plan must be implemented to deal with it. Is that a priority for the Minister? There is an extraordinarily serious problem and there are about seven or eight actions the Minister could take to address it — I outlined them in the House previously. Will the Minister produce an action plan?

The Minister misunderstood my question about overseas training. In addition to the ten training places within the remit of the Air Corps, will the Minister consider training overseas to alleviate the problems that exist?

I apologise to Deputy Wall, I addressed the question from an equally important but different angle. We are awaiting the report on the review of the Air Corps and it would be impossible to talk about an action plan until we have an opportunity to deliberate on that report. It will be necessary to quickly reach conclusions, and the Deputy's suggestion is an option which will be seriously considered. In answer to Deputy Fitzgerald, to implement an action before considering the report would be putting the cart before the horse.

The report should be published.

An action plan is required and I will ensure it is implemented as quickly as possible so that some of the issues that have existed since before I came into office will be addressed. At the same time we should not ignore the reality of what is happening in the outside world, which puts enormous pressure on us.

It is the Minister's job to deal with that.

Written Answers follow Adjournment Debate.

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