An all-weather rescue helicopter is due to take up duty in the south-east on July 1st - the third anniversary of the Air Corps Dauphin helicopter crash off the Waterford coast wrtes Lorna Siggins.
The Minister of State for the Marine, Mr Hugh Byrne, announ- ced yesterday that a five-year contract had been awarded to CHC (Ireland) Ltd, formerly Bond Helicopters, which currently holds contracts for Irish Coast Guard air-sea rescue on the west and east coasts, in Shannon and Dublin.
The company will provide an interim 12 hour a day helicopter from May 1st until the start-up date of July 1st, Mr Byrne said.
It was fitting, he said, to "remember the four gallant crewmen who tragically lost their lives in July 1999".
The decision to award the contract to CHC (Ireland) effectively means the Air Corps will quit the south-east base and will maintain only a presence in the north-west.
New medium-range helicopters due to be purchased from the US company Sikorsky, for the defen- ce wing may be subject to a further delay due to a legal challenge lodged by Eurocopter, one of the companies tendering for the contract, over the terms under which the decision was made.
Once the new equipment is in place, however, it is expected the Air Corps will serve the east coast from Dublin.
The Department of the Marine and Natural Resources said yesterday there had been no delay in awarding the south-east contract, which was taken in consultation with the Department of Defence.
However, the Minister of State had been pressing for an early resumption of a full 24-hour service, and last year indicated he hoped a replacement would be in place by last September.
Mr Byrne had also denied that the Air Corps, which continued to serve the Waterford base with a daytime Alouette helicopter, would be "downgraded" by provision of a private contract. He said that in his view the Air Corps was best suited for the job, and he hoped it would return to the location when it received its new equipment.
"It has a good record, and the official report on the Tramore tragedy shows that it had little to do with it in terms of causes."
Mr Byrne said he would be insisting that proper infrastructure, including adequate lighting and air traffic control, was in place at Waterford airport, but other locations such as Rosslare, Kilmore Quay and Hook Head might be suitable if the airport had difficulties.
Mr Tony Ayton, Irish representative for the International Transport Workers' Federation, welcomed yesterday's announcement. "This is a vital service for the thousands of seafarers who earn a living off the south and east coasts, not only those from our own shores, but for the thousands of international seafarers who use our ports from places like Liverpool, Swansea, and Milford Haven."
