Air-sea rescue service must be improved
Those would have enhanced the country’s air-sea rescue capabilities, and the federation contended that lifesaving should have been exempted from the Government’s cost-saving measures.
Hundreds of international seafarers help to move the goods on which our economy depends, and they unquestionably deserve the best protection.
The ITF’s inspector, Tony Ayton, has written to the Government, complaining that many maritime workers are disturbed by the decision.
He proceeded rather fatuously to suggest, however, that selling off Farmleigh House could save the necessary money.
The helicopter issue has nothing to do with Farmleigh House, which undoubtedly has is own money-spinning capabilities, when one realises that the greatest single tourist amenity in Killarney is Muckross House.
If Farmleigh House is developed as a tourist attraction, it could easily pay for itself. One does not sell off the family jewellery as a temporary expedient.
The Minister for Defence, Michael Smith, reacted to the ITF’s criticism with the petulance of a precocious adolescent, as he complained that the federation had not contacted him before criticising the Government’s decision. He contended the criticism was unfounded because the Government still plans to replace a Dauphin helicopter in the north-west with a larger capacity and longer-range Sikorski helicopter.
A number of Air Corps pilots have already been trained on the Sikorski helicopter, with the result that this will lead to an enhancement, not a diminution of the search and rescue capabilities of the Air Corps, according to Mr Smith. This was a patent piece of prevarication. If the addition of the three other Sikorski helicopters would not have enhanced the air-sea rescue capabilities of the Air Corps, why considered buying them in the first place?
Even though the minister insisted that the acquisition of the medium-lift helicopters remains a high priority, he explained that his main priority is to go ahead next week with a competition to purchase eight fixed-wing training aircraft to ensure that cadets will continue to be commissioned and trained as pilots in the Air Corps.
What are they training for - to defend this country against some mythical invader? Those fixed-wing aircraft have no rescue potential that the Air Corps does not have already. The danger that the force will be called upon to protect the country hardly seems an imminent prospect, with the result that these fixed-wing aircraft are little more than toys for the boys.
This is a question of priorities and the cadets would be more usefully trained at this stage to save lives, rather than preparing to take them in some unlikely eventuality. The recent series of maritime tragedies are a grim reminder of our need for rescue preparedness.
There is considerable room for maritime development in this country, but part of that development will demand better air-sea rescue facilities.
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