Tá áthas orm deis a bheith agam an cheist seo a phlé. The question I pose tonight about helicopter services in the north west brings me back to an Adjournment Debate in this House in February 1988. I was present that night. The untimely death in February 1988 of John Oglesby from Kincaslough, County Donegal, who died aboard his fishing vessel the Neptune off the Mayo coast, led to a campaign to provide emergency services around the coast. I was Minister of State at the time. The Government of the day; the Taoiseach, Charlie Haughey; and the Minister for the Marine, Brendan Daly, established an independent expert group under the chairmanship of the former Garda Commissioner, Eamonn Doherty, and came up with a number of recommendations. As a result of that, we have these services around the coast. In the present day, there are genuine concerns about the new aircraft and their suitability for island-related helicopter emergency medical services, HEMS. Some people are trying to suggest that these services are secondary to search and rescue requirements, but that is not a fact. Search and rescue services and emergency medical services are equally important. Our island communities are extremely worried that the helicopter services that will be provided going forward may not be as good as those provided over the last number of years because there is to be a change in the type of helicopter providing the services. I will pose a number of questions to the Minister of State with responsibility. Will Rescue 118 maintain its 24-hour coverage once the contract has been transferred to the new company or will it be reduced to a 12-hour service as it is in Shannon at the moment? Why has the transition process been so unclear, leaving crews and communities in the dark about their own future? That deserves clarity. What contingency plans are in place to ensure uninterrupted search and rescue coverage, particularly for islands and rural communities? Can the Government guarantee that the new company will meet the contract's original commitment of an all-weather 24-hour service 365 days per year? There are concerns that stretchers may not fit into helicopters as they have in the past. When someone has a heart attack or acquires a spinal injury, a stretcher is absolutely essential. The last helicopters could carry 20 survivors and two stretchers. There has to be clarity on this. I hope that, after the Minister of State's response, we will be in a better position to clarify for our fishing sector and our island communities the importance of this service.

Sentiment score: 0.05

I thank the Minister of State for his reply and I hope it will clear up some of the misunderstandings that may have arisen. Perhaps he will clarify why the temporary HEMS restriction only applies to the Shannon base and the Coast Guard continues to provide a nationwide service. Why is there that differentiation and is it only a temporary measure? Will the Minister of State confirm that Rescue 118 will maintain its 24-hour coverage once it transfers to Bristow Ireland or might it be reduced to a 12-hour service, as seen in Shannon? Whatever part of the coast that fishing vessels are located, if medical assistance is needed, all parts are important. Why is it a 12-hour service out of Shannon when there is a 24-hour service out of the other areas, in particular Sligo in the north-west? Can he clarify that Sligo will maintain its 24-hour coverage, which is all-important? It is often said that if one has a heart attack on Tory Island or Arranmore Island, that is better because the person will be in Derry, Letterkenny Sligo or Galway more quickly than if they were along the coast, given it can take a number of hours to get there by ambulance. Perhaps the Minister of State can clarify those questions for me.

Sentiment score: 0.14