The tragic deaths 14 months ago of Captain Dave Flaherty, Captain Mick Baker, Sergeant Pat Mooney and Captain Niall Byrne represented the worst accident in the history of the Air Corps. These four young men had completed a sterling day's work before meeting their fatal end. Just before their Dauphin helicopter crashed into a sand dune on Tramore beach, they had successfully completed a rescue operation off the Dungarvan coast.
The publication last week of the report into this tragedy by the air accident investigation unit of the Department of Public Enterprise is a serious indictment of the Department of Defence, the Department of the Marine and Natural Resources and of senior ranks in the Air Corps. That the report found no fewer than two active causes, six contributory causes and nine systemic causes for the crash points to serious system failures in the Department and the Air Corps.
An inescapable conclusion in the report is that a decision was taken to locate the Dauphin at Waterford Regional Airport from 1 July 1999, a day before the crash, to meet a public commitment given by the Government. This decision was made without due regard for adequate support infrastructure, including a qualified air traffic controller at Waterford airport, to ensure the crew could perform their duties safely and efficiently. Responsibility must lie with the Minister and his Department. This shortcoming in the plans for the launch of the Dauphin from Waterford is just one of a litany of examples where the Department and the Defence Forces did not work together to ensure they were properly resourced.
Contributory factors, such as crew fatigue and work pressures, are also serious issues which must be addressed by both the relevant Departments and senior ranks in the Air Corps. That the crew did not have access to catering facilities and accommodation at the airport shows a serious flaw in the decision to launch the helicopter from Waterford. Once again, a political decision was put before the people involved in executing the work.
One other recommendation in the report relates to the establishment by the Department of Defence of a fully resourced air safety office in the Air Corps. This recommendation was made in 1998 by the Pricewaterhouse review of the Naval Service and Air Corps and it should not be allowed to continue to collect dust. The Minister must tell the House this recommendation will be implemented now, not next week. The other recommendations should also be acted upon immediately. If expert advice is needed to implement them, it should be sought at an international level if we do not have it available in this country. I have raised safety issues with the Minister on previous occasions and he took action on them. I have no doubt he will take this report seriously.
More than a year ago the House passed legislation to extend the area of the Irish Sea by a further 200 miles. The need to ensure the Air Corps is properly resourced has never been greater. This week a total of 21 fishermen were lost at sea in two separate tragedies. Without the rapid response of the Air Corps to these tragedies, there would not have been any survivors. I pay tribute to the Air Corps for its part in these rescue operations in recent days. Its instant response to the tragedies and the efficiency with which it managed to rescue the survivors is commendable and shows how important the Air Corps is for this island. Already, to my distress, there has been much buck-passing with regard to the findings of the report. It is incumbent on the parties implicated in this report to accept and implement the full 25 recommendations contained in the report. A tragedy like that which took place on the fateful night of 2 July last should never be allowed to happen again.