Vol. 527 No. 4
35 Mr. Yates asked the Minister for Defence when the contracts will be placed for the medium lift search and rescue helicopters; if he will confirm that these helicopters may not be delivered until late 2003 or early 2004; and the reason the Department of Defence delayed action in accordance with the 1996 Price Waterhouse report in not proceeding with the purchase of these helicopters. [28711/00]
43 Mr. Finucane asked the Minister for Defence if his Department will proceed with the overhaul of the five Dauphin helicopters at a cost of £1.25 million for each aircraft which is due to commence in 2001; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that Air Corps personnel have already expressed their concerns with regard to the suitability of the Dauphin for search and rescue mission in the Atlantic coast theatre; and if his attention has further been drawn to the fact that there is a difficulty in securing spare parts and, therefore, in these circumstances, if he will proceed with the maintenance of these helicopters. [28630/00]
54 Mrs. Moynihan-Cronin asked the Minister for Defence the number of firms who have indicated an interest in tendering for the supply of medium lift helicopters; when the tendering process will be completed; when the helicopters will be supplied; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28697/00]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 35, 43 and 54 together.
The Government fully recognises that there are urgent equipment modernisation requirements in the Air Corps. In recognition of these requirements, I announced on 1 March 2000 the allocation of up to £55 million over the next three years for this purpose. These funds will initiate vital investment in new aircraft for the Air Corps. The first indicator of this investment is the current project for the acquisition of medium lift helicopters for the Air Corps.
The tender competition for the acquisition of the helicopters is progressing well. This major investment programme involves the acquisition of two medium lift helicopters with an option of a third for search and rescue purposes as well as an option for two medium lift helicopters for general purpose military transport.
The tender competition is being carried out in two stages, a request for proposals stage and a request for tenders stage. Responses to the request for proposals were received in the Department on 21 September 2000. Six responses were received. The responses are being evaluated at this stage and a short list of companies for participation in the tender stage will be drawn up shortly. It is expected that the tender stage will commence early in the new year with a contract being placed in mid-2001.
The responses to the proposals stage carry a range of possible delivery dates for the proposed helicopters. However, the lead-in time for the delivery of the helicopters is a matter that would have to be discussed with the successful tenderer in due course. I can assure the Deputies that every effort will be made to have the helicopters delivered at the earliest possible dates.
Last month a working group was established consisting of representatives from the Department of the Marine and Natural Resources, the Irish Coast Guard and the Department of Defence to deal with the subject of dedicated helicopter search and rescue assets.
In tandem with the current tender competition for the supply of medium lift helicopters, the group will determine the overall resources required, civil and military, and the optimum deployment of same to cover marine emergency management. The group will identify and make recommendations on the specific air corps resources which will have to be committed and deployed to meet this requirement. This work will include making recommendations on the Dauphin helicopters. The group will also consider all the options for the provision of interim solutions for the overall requirements taking into account the lead time for the delivery of the medium lift helicopters to the Air Corps.
I will focus on the Question No. 43, as the Minister has given a reassurance that he will lease helicopters while awaiting delivery of the helicopters that have been purchased. As he is aware, the Dauphin helicopters were ordered in 1982. The five of them were specially built by Eurocopter. In 1986 they were delivered. Is he aware that in many cases the avionics in those helicopters are obsolete, it is impossible to get spare parts for them and the Air Corps has to cannibalise other helicopters to get parts for them? The Minister should reconsider whether to refurbish those helicopters at a cost of £1.5 million each. He needs to evaluate what is required to provide an effective service for the future, and the Dauphins may not be part of that service.
The working group I established last month to evaluate the resources that would be required in the Air Corps for the future in terms of search and rescue and marine management involved examining the future use of the helicopters and whether the overhaul operation should be carried out. I expect that group will report in the new year, at which stage I will be in a better position to inform the Deputy of the outcome of its deliberations. I accept the aircraft which were purchased are no match for what is currently coming on stream. There would be no reason to provide the additional £25 million if I thought everything we had was adequate. The fund is being provided because the Government accepts the requirement to upgrade the aircraft for the Air Corps, both in terms of search and rescue, military transport and whatever other operations are necessary.
Is the Minister aware there is a difficulty in training pilots for the Dauphin helicopters in that there is not a simulator facility available for aircraft training here?
We have from time to time availed of simulator facilities in other countries to train our pilots. This is primarily a matter for the GOC of the Air Corps. I am not directly involved in training and I do not have the technical capacity to suggest what should be done about this but plenty of other countries avail of the facilities of other sources in the same way as we do. I cannot determine at present whether that is the way to proceed as I am concentrating on the aircraft, safety resources and training – whatever facilities the GOC requires. Sending the pilots abroad is fine as far as I am concerned. The important thing is to ensure they are properly and fully trained to modern specifications and standards.
The Minister was very vague as to when this will happen. Can he indicate when he expects the helicopters to be delivered?
We are now moving to the tender stage and we expect to be able to place a contract in mid-2001. We will then discuss the delivery time scale with the successful tenderer. There are some limited types of aircraft which are almost ready-made but the Air Corps' specific standards may mean we have to start from scratch with manufacturing. There are other options, such as leasing, that I am looking at in the interim but this is primarily a matter to be discussed with the company submitting the successful tender. I cannot give a definite answer on that now.
So we are talking about three or four years.
Not at all.
It will be.
The Deputy likes to see it raining. I like to see the sun.
If the Minister can see the sun he must be hallucinating.
The Minister always gives hope.
If Deputies have supplementary questions they should rise in their places.
The Minister is making a joke out of a serious question. His own hopes were fulfilled recently after a disappointment.
If the audit group finds that the cost of overhauling the helicopters is prohibitive at £2.5 million, will time be lost in the lease or hire of alternative helicopters? We are moving on but we do not seem to be addressing the problem. These helicopters need to be repaired yet we are to wait until the new helicopters come on stream. Will the Minister say how soon a decision will be made on leasing helicopters?
The Deputy knows he left the coffers empty for me and I had to fill them first.
I was not here then.
I am looking at every other suggestion the Deputy is making. Regarding Deputy McCormack's point, his party has every reason to rue the decision I took at my convention.
The Minister was lucky there was a back door.
A public relations job.
