Vol. 524 No. 2
101 Mr. Howlin asked the Minister for the Marine and Natural Resources the plans he has to upgrade the helicopter rescue service, especially having regard to the heavy demand being placed on it; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22019/00]
My Department, in consultation with the Departments of Defence and Finance, has the primary responsibility to set the levels and standards of the air-sea support requirements for search and rescue, SAR. Helicopter support for marine emergency response, which includes search and rescue, is provided by my Department and the Department of Defence.
My Department provides two Sikorsky S61N helicopters on a 24-hour basis located at Dublin and Shannon Airports, managed and operated by the Coast Guard. The S61N is a multi-engined, all-weather, medium load-carrying helicopter, equipped with autohover, and has a declared maximum range, without refuelling, of approximately 230 nautical miles.
The Department of Defence provides an Air Corps Dauphin SA 365F on a 24-hour basis located at Finner camp, County Donegal, and an Alouette 111 located at Waterford Airport. The Dauphin is a multi-engined, all-weather, light load-carrying helicopter, equipped with autohover and has a declared maximum operating range of 150 nautical miles by day and 75 nautical miles by night. The Alouette 111 is a single-engined helicopter, restricted to daylight only offshore visual contact flight conditions, and to operations to a maximum of three nautical miles offshore. The Alouette is a replacement for the Dauphin which crashed on Tramore beach on 2 July 1999 with the tragic loss of four crewmen.
The current deployment is based on the findings of a number of reports prepared over the period 1988 to 1996. While the present coverage is adequate, growing offshore and onshore demands highlight the need to keep capacity and deployment under review. On 12 July 2000, the Minister for Defence, Deputy Michael Smith, announced the first stage of a process to acquire new medium-lift helicopters for the Air Corps. This major investment programme involves the acquisition of two medium-lift helicopters, with an option for a third, for search and rescue purposes as well as an option for two medium-lift helicopters for general purpose military transport. The acquisition of medium-lift helicopters for the Air Corps for search and rescue is a positive indication of the Government's commitment to the Air Corps and is welcomed by the Coast Guard.
The provision of a new multi-engined marine SAR helicopter for the Air Corps with its increased endurance, capability and range will relieve the workload on the Shannon and Dublin helicopters for long range missions, provide back-up for the west coast and provide an opportunity to consider enlarging our marine search and rescue area of responsibility.
The Deputy should be aware that helicopters are not the only SAR facilities available and there are many distress situations in which other forms of SAR response are suitable. Among the other significant assets available to the Coast Guard for search and rescue tasks is the fleet of purpose-built lifeboats provided and operated by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution, the eight community inshore rescue boats and the boats and search and rescue units of the Coast Guard.
As regards the safety of the search and rescue service, what conclusions, if any, did the Minister draw from the investigation into the tragedy at Tramore? Will he comment on the criticism of the levels of training and onshore back-up provided for that mission?
That relates to a separate question on the Order Paper.
It is about the upgrading of the helicopter rescue service. It is fine if the Minister does not wish to answer, but the question is about the adequacy and level of upgrading of the helicopter rescue service and so on. The Minister referred to the Tramore tragedy in his reply and this is a perfectly legitimate supplementary question.
The question does not refer to the tragedy but to the plans to upgrade the service.
It refers to the helicopter rescue service and the Minister referred to the Tramore tragedy in his reply. I think my supplementary is perfectly in order and legitimate.
I do not have a problem replying to a different question concerning the response to the report.
I would prefer if the Minister did not reply to a separate question on the Order Paper in fairness to the Deputy who submitted that question.
The Minister gave a comprehensive analysis of our helicopter fleet. Is he aware that we are back to a 12-hour service at Waterford Airport? Will he comment on the criticism of the Dauphin helicopters, of which we have five, but which are no longer provided. In 1991, engineers pointed out that there were technical problems with the Dauphin helicopters.
Some time ago the Minister for Defence announced he would order two medium-lift helicopters. What type of helicopters will they be? Is the Minister satisfied that the Departments of Defence and the Marine and Natural Resources can provide a 24-hour, comprehensive service along the entire coast?
My Department is involved in ongoing discussions with the Department of Defence on the urgent need to replace the Alouette helicopters. That is taken as read and we wish to see that replacement take place in Waterford as quickly as possible.
The review of the adequacy of the marine search and rescue coverage published in June 1996 examined, among other matters, the suitability of the Alouette 111 for marine SAR and concluded that, because of its visual contact flight conditions, daylight only restrictions and range, it was unsuitable for marine emergency cover. The Minister for Defence is reviewing the inadequacies of the various helicopters in the fleet and is bringing forward proposals for replacements and the engagement of newer and more appropriate equipment.
I will allow two brief supplementary questions from Deputies Connaughton and Stanton.
May I ask a brief supplementary question?
I am sorry, Deputy, but we are running out of time.
We do not have a 24-hour service in Waterford.
To what extent do we still depend for assistance on rescue services based in Scotland and the rest of the UK? As the Minister will be aware, over the years we have had to call on other air services. How great is our dependence on them at this stage?
Is there not a need to provide a rescue service helicopter at Cork Airport?
There has always been a good relationship between the Irish and UK coastguard services and we receive, as is obvious, very significant support in particular in long-range rescue missions from both fixed wing aircraft and Sea King helicopters of the British Navy. We reciprocate in terms of our ability to assist them, in particular, on the east coast and in the Irish Sea.
Were it not for the significance of the support we receive from the UK, we would have greater deficiencies but while we have difficulties, the last number of weeks have proven that we have an excellent search and rescue service and that we have a brave group of people operating these helicopters in most difficult conditions. We all accept that there is a need to replace outdated equipment and there is no question but that the Minister for Defence has that as a top priority.
