Air Corps may reclaim search-and-rescue role despite contrary advice
Since 2004, the €620 million ten-year contract has been outsourced to private corporations
The Irish Air Corps could have a role in the next €620 million helicopter search and rescue contract, the Taoiseach has indicated, in a move which would be counter to a recommendation in a secret official report.
For the past eight years, the contract for flying around 800 search-and-rescue Irish Coast Guard missions annually has been outsourced to CHC Ireland, a subsidiary of the US-owned Canadian Helicopter Corporation. One of its Sikorsky helicopters, Rescue 116, ...