Síle de Valera
Question:282 Miss de Valera asked the Minister for the Marine his views on whether there has been a downgrading in the West Coast Search and Rescue Service off Shannon since 1 January 1997. [6474/97]
Written Answers. - Marine Search and Rescue.
Síle de Valera
Question:283 Miss de Valera asked the Minister for the Marine his views on whether it is satisfactory that the service for the west coast search and rescue supplied by Bond at Shannon is restricted in its missions in view of the fact that it is not equipped with an auto-hover which was to be in place by 28 February 1997; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6475/97]
Síle de Valera
Question:284 Miss de Valera asked the Minister for the Marine if he intends to invoke the penalty clause in relation to the West Coast Search and Rescue Service which Bond was allowed to introduce if it could not meet the performance required of having the contract helicopter in operation by 28 February 1997. [6476/97]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 282, 283 and 284 together.
I announced on 2 Auguest 1996 that the Government had approved the award of a contract to Bond Helicopters (Ireland) Ltd., for the provision of a marine emergency helicopter including search and rescue based at Shannon Airport. The contract commenced on 1 January 1997, on the expiry of the previous contract with Irish Helicopters Ltd., and is for a minimum period of two and a half years with an option to extend for up to five years. Bond advised my Department on 20 February 1997, in accordance with their contractual obligations, that the fully compliant helicopter with auto-hover, which was to be delivered to Shannon by 28 February 1997, was now expected to be in service by the middle to end of March 1997. The delay in the delivery of this helicopter arose from an electrial design fault identified during a recently completed independent quality check. Adverse weather conditions have also hampered flight testing. The fault has since been remedied and flight testing has resumed. The Bond helicopter development programme, which commenced after the contract award in Auguest 1996 and has been the subject of close monitoring and regular review by the Department, was fully on schedule up to this recent development.
A fully serviceable marine emergency helicopter is already in permanent operation by Bond from Shannon. This helicopter has been providing marine emergency response since 1 January 1997 and has carried out nine successful rescue missions to date. It has rescued or assisted 19 people including the rescue in extreme weather conditions of 13 fishermen from a fishing vessel, which caught fire at a location 150 miles off the coast of Galway, on 1 March 1997. It has all the features of a fully compliant helicopter, with the exception of an auto-hover system. The absence of an auto-hover makes winching from a small vessel at night difficult but not impossible. Otherwise the helicopter is fully equipped for 24 hours marine emergency response. Bond have made available, with effect from 1 March 1977, a second helicopter to improve the capabilities of the existing helicopter at night time and in bad weather conditions. Crews and specialist lighting devices have been provided to support the operation of two helicopters on a rescue mission.
The question of what penalty, if any, will be imposed on Bond for failing to provide a fully compliant helicopter by 28 February 1997 is under active consideration at present. Since 1 January 1997 Bond has been providing a satisfactory search and rescue service which will be underpinned by the early entry into service of an autohover equipped helicopter. My Department will continue to monitor developments very closely and will review all matters relating to the service, including contractual obligations, on a week to week basis.