Vol. 548 No. 3
79 Ms O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Defence the progress made to date in implementing the recommendations of the Air Corps safety audit; if, in regard to the availability of helicopters, the situation has improved on that identified in the report; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4673/02]
90 Mr. Enright asked the Minister for Defence his plans to publish the Air Corps safety audit report furnished to him in summer 2001; the deficiencies identified in the report; the recommendations contained therein; and the action taken to date to implement those recommendations. [4111/02]
119 Mr. Shatter asked the Minister for Defence his plans to publish the Air Corps safety audit report furnished to him in summer 2001; the deficiencies identified in the report; the recommendations contained therein; and the action taken to date to implement the recommendations made. [4868/02]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 79, 90 and 119 together.
Following the publication of the report of the air accident investigation unit of the Department of Public Enterprise into the accident at Tramore on 2 July 1999, urgent action was taken by my Department on the implementation of the recommendations in the report.
One of the key recommendations was that an independent air operations safety audit of the Air Corps should be commissioned. This was done and I received the final report of the consultants involved in July 2001. This report was examined by both my Department and the military authorities, following which the Air Corps were tasked to take immediate steps towards implementing the recommendations. This they did as a matter of urgency. To further advance the implementation of the recommendations of the safety audit, a working group was established comprising members of the Defence Forces and an official of my Department to oversee the consideration and implementation of the safety issues addressed in the safety audit. This working group has met on a number of occasions and significant progress is being made in this regard.
Following the accident at Tramore, in addition to the aforementioned investigation by the air accident investigation unit, a military court of inquiry was convened to inquire into the circumstances of the accident. This court, which is examining the Air Corps safety audit report as part of its proceedings, is still in process and, accordingly, it would not be appropriate to release the report at this time. Neither would it be appropriate to comment on specific aspects of the report.
