Brian O'Shea
Question:75 Mr. O'Shea asked the Minister for the Marine and Natural Resources his Department's proposals for a helicopter air-sea rescue service in the south-east; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12786/01]
Written Answers - Marine Rescue Service.
The present position is that an Alouette 111 single-engined helicopter is based at Waterford and this aircraft, because of its visual contact flight conditions, daylight only restricted range, is not particularly suited for offshore marine emergency helicopter cover. It is, however, well suited for mountain, cliff and close-in marine search and rescue operations conducted by daylight in visual contact flight conditions. As the Deputy will be aware, the Alouette replaces, on a temporary basis, the Dauphin which crashed on Tramore beach on 2 July 1999 with the tragic loss of four crewmen.
I am conscious of the need to urgently upgrade the current unsuitable SAR helicopter service in Waterford and have pursued with my colleague, the Minister for Defence, Deputy Michael Smith, how this might be achieved. I am happy to say that we have commenced negotiations on a contract for the early provision of a new dedicated all weather, night flying, medium-lift helicopter capacity at Waterford. This provision will be an interim arrangement pending a more permanent placing of a fully suitable service in Waterford. The Department has also commenced the contract procedures for the acquisition on contract of the latter service and, though I am not in a position at the moment to put any precise date on when the replacement will be in place, it is my hope that this can be achieved later this year.