Copter bases may go in rescue plan
By Don Lavery
Irish Independent, Sunday March 01 2009
Some of the four helicopter rescue bases used by the Irish Coast Guard could be closed, or relocated, under a €200m plan being considered by the Department of Transport.
The department currently uses helicopter firm CHC Ireland to provide 24/7 search and rescue (SAR) services at Dublin, Shannon, Waterford, and Sligo, where giant Sikorsky S-61N helicopters are each capable of rescuing up to 15 survivors 200 miles off our coast.
But in a 10-year strategy, the department is seeking a new SAR supplier for the decade from 2012 up until 2022.
Tender documents show that the Coast Guard is seeking a successor contract, to include aircrew, maintenance personnel and support services and facilities to provide a broadly similar level of service.
However, it adds that this "may involve a change of current bases, availability or number of aircraft, using more modern helicopters with a national search and rescue role".
This is understood to be a reference to the new breed of fast and more capable helicopters now being used for search and rescue, compared to the S-61 currently in use, whose design dates back 50 years.
Civil contractors in the UK are now using ultra-modern helicopters such as the Sikorsky S-92.
A department spokeswoman said no definite decision had been made on changing or reducing the number of bases being used by the service, and this could depend on what response the tenders brought in.
The SAR service that is operated by the department costs around €25m a year, with a recent three-year contract for CHC Ireland reckoned to be worth €53m to the company.
- Don Lavery