High salaries push CHC’s loss to €3.1m

Average salaries of €100,000 each for the 113 staff at the firm operating the €500m state contract to provide helicopter Search and Rescue (SAR) services contributed to losses at the firm increasing by 13% to €3.1m last year.

CHC Ireland Ltd provides the SAR Service from its four main bases at Dublin, Sligo, Shannon and Waterford for the State and commenced a 10-year €500m contract with the Government in 2012.

The Air Corps withdrew from limited SAR duties in 2004 and the current contract with the Canadian-owned CHC has the option to extend for a further three years on a year-by-year basis.