Matt Shanahan warns tender risks cutting South-East helicopter bases
Matt Shanahan warned that a preliminary tender for the National Airsea Rescue Service proposes reducing four helicopter bases to three, raising concern about maritime capability and the transfer of cardiac patients from University Hospital Waterford when the CAT lab is closed (129 hours per week). He asked the Taoiseach to allocate time next week for a debate on the shortcomings of the contract and said ministers are engaging on the issue.
Tender proposes base reduction
Matt Shanahan said the Government and the Department of Transport published a preliminary pre-qualification questionnaire for the National Airsea Rescue Service that suggests reducing four helicopter bases to three and allows applicant companies to propose their own base configurations.
Concerns for South-East maritime capability and patient transfers
He said this proposal is creating extraordinary unease in the South-East, particularly over maritime capability and the region's ability to transfer cardiac patients from University Hospital Waterford while the CAT lab is closed for 129 hours per week.
Parliamentary action and request for debate
Members of the regional group, together with independents in the Upper House, have placed a motion on the order paper. Matt Shanahan asked the Taoiseach to make space next week in the Order of Business for a debate on the contract's shortcomings.
Ministers' responses and procurement details
He said several ministers have been in touch and are dealing with the matter. A minimum number of aircraft is specified to be on standby for Coast Guard aviation tasking, bidders may propose more, and ministers are conscious of geographic and regional needs.
Calls for caution on final specifications
Matt Shanahan urged that it would be unwise to speculate on final procurement specifications or the outcome of the process before they are published, but said he and colleagues are listening to concerns from deputies and senators across the South-East.
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The Government, Pre-Christmas, and the Department of Transport published a preliminary pre-qualification questionnaire for the National Airsea Rescue Service. Within this tender, it suggests that a reduction of four helicopter bases down to three, and that the applicant companies may propose their own base configurations. This is creating extraordinary unease in the South-East, Taoiseach, particularly with respect to capability in the maritime space and also our ability to transfer cardiac patients from University Hospital Waterford when our CAT lab is closed, which is 129 hours per week. Members of the regional group, along with independents in the Upper House, have placed a motion to the order paper, Taoiseach. I am asking would you make space next week in the order of business that we might have a debate on the shortcomings of this contract, Taoiseach. Minister Butler and Brown and others have been in touch with me on this, and I know Minister Naughton is dealing with it also. There is an absolute minimum number of aircraft specified to be on standby for Coast Guard aviation tasking. That is a minimum requirement, and bidders can propose more. The Ministers, Ryan Naughton, are very much conscious of the overall needs geographically and regionally. I think all deputies and senators from the entire South-East have been in touch, including yourself. I do not want to speculate on the final procurement specifications or the outcome of the process, but we do hear what people are saying to us. No, we don't want to speculate on the basis before we get that. Keeping the first one is the boldest, that it needs to be a loss. We help us. We help you to remember the current situation. We help us, our parents. We help us. That's the end. We help you? We help us. We help you in the world. We help us. We help you in the future. You help us.
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