New €21.5m Garda helicopter and plane to fight crime and aid searches

The Department of Justice said the €21.5m investment would provide 'a vital support' to the security of the State and support national units in the investigation of espionage, terrorism, organised crime gangs, border policing, human and drug trafficking, kidnapping and fuel smuggling.

A new Garda helicopter is being purchased and will be operational before the end of the year, according to the Department of Justice.

Some €12.5m will be spent on the acquisition, while a further €9m is being allocated for a new fixed-wing aircraft, previously announced last September in Budget 2023.

Justice Minister Simon Harris said the purchases would uphold national security and aid the investigation of organised crime, police borders and assist in life-saving search operations.

“I expect that the new helicopter will be purchased, delivered and become operational this year, while the new plane will become operational in 2024,” Mr Harris said.

The aircraft will support the “rapid deployment” of the Emergency Response Unit and the regional Armed Support Units.

The helicopter and plane, which are attached to the Garda Air Support Unit (GASU), are operated by the Defence Forces’ Air Corps and based at Baldonnel Airport, West Dublin.

The Department of Justice said the €21.5m investment would provide “a vital support” to the security of the State and support national units in the investigation of espionage, terrorism, organised crime gangs, border policing, human and drug trafficking, kidnapping and fuel smuggling.

Justice Minister Simon Harris said it was vital that gardaí have the resources to tackle serious and organised crime, investigate potential threats and increase their surveillance capacity.

The aircraft are often used in cases of “immediate threat to life”, such as kidnappings, including of children, as well as to locate people suffering mental health crises and missing persons.

Mr Harris, who is standing in for Helen McEntee, said: “The Garda Air Support Unit does vital work to combat criminal activity and protect the public. This new, state-of-the-art plane and helicopter will significantly boost the State’s aerial support and ability to uphold national security."

He said it was vital that gardaí have the resources to tackle serious and organised crime, investigate potential threats and increase their surveillance capacity.

The department said the €21.5m was being made available through the EU Brexit Adjustment Reserve, established to help member states deal with the adverse effects of Brexit.

The Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, which administers the fund, has allocated €12.5m for the helicopter and €9m for the Garda fixed-wing aircraft.

GASU conducted 1,202 flights in 2021, with operations supporting Covid-19 initiatives, national traffic operations as well as cross-border crime initiatives with the PSNI and other agencies.