Gerard P. Craughwell warns Baldonnel flights at risk over SAR deal
Gerard P. Craughwell criticised the handling of the SAR contract after four air traffic controllers moved to Bristos and warned it could ground Air Corps operations from Baldonnel. He said a retention allowance flagged in 2021 has not been paid and demanded a debate, calling the situation an outrage.
He began by congratulating the Defence Forces on the Arbour Hill event, praising the Guards of Honour and those who read prayers at the ceremony.
He described the SAR contract awarded to Bristos as shambolic, saying the company came without the resources to fulfil the contract and has poached four air traffic controllers from Baldonnel.
He warned that the loss of controllers will undermine the availability of the Defence Forces Air Corps to provide flights out of Baldonnel, and that a new government jet could be unable to operate from Baldonnel and may have to use Knock or Shannon. He listed aircraft at Baldonnel at risk of being grounded, including three 295 fixed-wing aircraft, PC-9s, PC-12s and helicopters.
He recalled that the Secretary-General of the Department of Defence identified an air traffic controller crisis in 2021 and said a retention allowance, similar to that paid to pilots, has been held without action since then. He noted Civil Aviation has now advertised for further air traffic controllers and that controllers are in high demand internationally.
He called the situation an outrage, asked who has been holding up action and urged that the matter be debated immediately.
Event recognition
He began by congratulating the Defence Forces on the Arbour Hill event, praising the Guards of Honour and those who read prayers at the ceremony.
SAR contract and staffing loss
He described the SAR contract awarded to Bristos as shambolic, saying the company came without the resources to fulfil the contract and has poached four air traffic controllers from Baldonnel.
Impact on Air Corps operations
He warned that the loss of controllers will undermine the availability of the Defence Forces Air Corps to provide flights out of Baldonnel, and that a new government jet could be unable to operate from Baldonnel and may have to use Knock or Shannon. He listed aircraft at Baldonnel at risk of being grounded, including three 295 fixed-wing aircraft, PC-9s, PC-12s and helicopters.
History of warnings and pay issue
He recalled that the Secretary-General of the Department of Defence identified an air traffic controller crisis in 2021 and said a retention allowance, similar to that paid to pilots, has been held without action since then. He noted Civil Aviation has now advertised for further air traffic controllers and that controllers are in high demand internationally.
Call for debate
He called the situation an outrage, asked who has been holding up action and urged that the matter be debated immediately.
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Transcript
First and foremost, I would like to congratulate the Defence Forces today on the event for Arbour Hill. A wonderful event, as always, turned out excellently. Great Guards of Honour. A wonderful event. Indeed, you did pretty well yourself today reading the prayers. Thank you. There has been a lot of talk, Leader, about the purchase of primary radar for the Defence Forces. As a result of the shambolic SAR contract that has been awarded to Bristos, who came to this country without the resources to take on the contract, they have now poached four of the air traffic controllers in Baldonnel. So we are going to find ourselves with a brand new government jet that won't be able to fly out of Baldonnel because we won't have air traffic controllers. It'll probably be in Knock or Shannon or somewhere like that. It certainly won't be in Baldonnel. Not only that, the availability of the Defence Forces Air Corps to provide 24-7365 flights out of Baldonnel is about to be totally and utterly undermined. Now, in 2021, the Secretary-General of the Department of Defence identified a crisis with respect to air traffic controllers. All that was required to keep them was the retention allowance that's paid to pilots. They're sitting on it since 2021. Nothing done. Now four air traffic controllers have walked out. They're going to work for Bristos. Not only that, the Civil Aviation have now advertised looking for further air traffic controllers. Air traffic controllers are in huge demand all over the world. And our air corps is going to finish up with three 295 fixed wing aircraft, a number of PC-9s, a number of PC-12s and helicopters sitting out in Baldonnel, unable to take off because we won't have air traffic controllers. This is an outrage that was identified as far back as 2021 by the Secretary-General of the Department. Who has been holding this up? We need to debate on this.