Fergus O'Dowd
Ceist:29 Mr. O'Dowd asked the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources his plans to purchase sea rescue helicopters for any part of Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31377/03]
Other Questions. - Search and Rescue Service.
The Irish Coast Guard of the Department has the responsibility for the provision of search and rescue services in this country, and it has no plans to purchase sea rescue helicopters at this time.
The current sea rescue helicopter service is provided by means of contractual arrangements with a specialist company in this field. Contracts are in place to cover the period until end 2007. The decision to contract out the helicopter service rather than purchase aircraft directly was taken to ensure that arrangements associated with the operation of the helicopters remain the responsibility of the contracted company. Under the contract the operator is responsible for such matters as the provision of a helicopter base, the statutory aircraft inspection and certification obligations, the maintenance and manning arrangements of the aircraft and the provision of other equipment necessary for the safe operation of the service.
The Coast Guard is of the view that this approach, which is in line with international best practice, is the most efficient and effective way of providing helicopter search and rescue services at this time.
The Minister of State is familiar with the south east and is aware of the length of the Wexford coastline. The county is lucky to have a modern helicopter which can operate by day and by night. This is the result of the hard work of the previous Minister of State, former Deputy Hugh Byrne. I compliment him on that. In recent years the maintenance of the rescue helicopter in Waterford was under severe threat and he is one of the Ministers who kept it there. Can the Minister give a guarantee that the service will be kept in place? In recent days I was speaking to people involved in the fishing industry and they told me that the rescue helicopter has been called to south Wexford a number of times in the past two weeks due to the herring fishing. When the rescue helicopter is being serviced and is out of use, what helicopter is available to cover for it?
There has been a 24 hour service in place from 1 July 2003, to run for a period of two years, on the east coast. That is based at Dublin Airport. There is a 24 hour service in place on the west coast, valid from 1 January 2002 until 31 December 2007, and that is based at Shannon Airport. From 1 July 2002 the service on the south coast was extended from a 12 hour to a 24 hour service and the contracts run until 30 June 2007, with operations based at Waterford Airport. This Department and the Department of Transport had to provide a significant amount of money to retain the helicopter service there because the airport was closing down and the services there had left. However, Aer Arann has returned and is providing a valuable service. Our Department had a financial input into that as well as providing the 24 hour service.
The service will remain in Waterford on a 24 hour basis. The helicopter does not always stay in Waterford because it occasionally helps out in other areas. There have been difficulties with the service in Sligo recently and the other three helicopters have had to assist in that area to ensure a full service is provided.
The Minister mentioned the availability of the helicopter service in the north west. There were industrial relations problems relating to safety equipment. Have those problems been resolved and is the system back to normal?
No, it is not back to normal. The Department of Defence and the Air Corps are currently examining many options to assist in the return to a 24 hour service in the north west as quickly as possible. The Irish Coast Guard is being kept fully informed of their progress. In the meantime, it will continue to respond to any incidents that arise through the utilisation of the significant emergency response resources that are in place on the ground.