Written Answers. - Garda Air Support Unit.
Liz McManus
Question:
79
Ms McManus
asked the
Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform
when the second Garda helicopter will be operational; the reason for the long delay, in view of the fact that it was supposed to have been ready by the beginning of 2001; if the reported difficulties between his Department and the Air Corps have been sorted out; the role the Air Corps will play in regard to the operation of the helicopter; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[23710/02]
The Government approved the purchase of a second Garda helicopter in November 1998. A tender competition was held and an EC135 was ordered in August 1999. The EC135 represents a new generation of helicopter technology. It is built to order and delivery time depends on the production line and demand from other customers. The basic shell of the helicopter was manufactured in the Eurocopter facility at Donauworth in Germany and delivered in December 2000 to McAlpine Helicopters in Oxford to be fitted out with specialist police equipment. This was a major task. Following this, the necessary trials were carried out allowing acceptance by the Garda authorities of the helicopter in December 2001. This is the earliest possible date that the helicopter was in a position to fly.
In November 2001, the Government had approved a proposal from the then Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform to contract out the piloting and maintenance of the EC135 for a trial period. The Air Corps had previously indicated that it would have to contract out the maintenance of this aircraft and it was decided to avail of the opportunity to explore other piloting and maintenance arrangements with a view to assessing alternatives in terms of such factors as efficiency and cost-effectiveness. An interdepartmental committee was established to oversee and facilitate this task.
This committee, having considered the various issues, submitted an interim report to the then Minister in which they recommended, for legal reasons, that the EC135 be introduced into service, on an interim basis, on the State military register while the longer term options were explored.
The matter was again submitted to Government which approved in April 2002 the placement, on an interim basis, of the EC135 on the State military register with the Air Corps responsible for the piloting of the craft. The maintenance of the EC135 was again to be outsourced.
The placement process referred to in the preceding paragraph involves an examination and certification of the craft and its specialist equipment by the Air Corps which has been making the necessary arrangements to ensure that the aircraft is acceptable for placement on the military register; that the necessary documentation is in order and that the helicopter could be flown and serviced. This placement process is now nearing completion and the EC135 is due to transfer onto the State military register in early December 2002. At this stage, the EC135 will be delivered to the State and is expected to commence operations later in the month.
There is no dispute about who is in overall charge of the operations carried out by the Garda air support unit. The policing functions-missions are determined by the Garda authorities and under present arrangements the flying and maintenance of the craft – one fixed-wing aircraft and one helicopter – are the responsibility of the Minister for Defence and the Air Corps.
The maintenance of the EC135, as previously explained, is being outsourced and this is currently the subject of a tender competition being conducted by the Department of Defence. A draft service level agreement between the Air Corps and the Garda Síochána on operating and reporting structures covering all aspects of joint operations is also nearing completion.
The entering into service of the EC135 will greatly expand the area of operations of the Garda air support unit and allow for greater availability of air support in the fight against crime.
