Government officials have spent almost €7.5million adapting helicopters and buying night vision goggles for Irish Coast Guard night missions that cannot be used.
They are not in operation because crews have not been trained in the special nightflying required, eight years after helicopters started being modified.
The issue is now understood to be coming before the Dail’s spending watchdog, the PAC (Public Accounts Committee), as the contract for air-sea rescue is coming up for renewal.
Committee member, Marc MacSharry of Fianna Fail, wants there to be an examination of the last contract to CHC (Canadian Helicopter Corporation) Ireland, as the NVG tech spending was for the choppers they operate on our behalf. The last SAR (Search And Rescue) contract ended up being worth more than €600million over 10 years to the Canadian firm and CHC are tipped to win the next one too.
It’s estimated by sources in the aviation sector that this could be worth €1billion this time around.
Mr MacSharry told the Irish Mirror: “In 2013, the Irish Coast Guard wanted night vision capabilities and this was a good idea on safety grounds.
“But since then, we have spent €3.5million on adapting helicopters, which we don’t own, over €500,000 on the special goggles and millions more in a contract for training, which hasn’t been completed yet.
“Apparently we ceased training when Covid hit, which is understandable, but as a member of the PAC, I will be asking what have we got for all this money that’s been spent?
“This is eight years on since, and it’s clear we have not realised the full potential of the project.”
Figures seen by the Mirror reveal that in 2013, funding of €3.5million was provided to upgrade five Sikorsky S91 choppers.
In 2015, 24 sets of NVGs were purchased at a cost of €570,000.
And in 2018, a contract was entered into with a training company to train pilots and crew at a cost of €3,400,000.
This training has not been completed.
A Coast Guard spokesperson told the Mirror: “The island of Ireland has significant numbers of remote, low-population areas which have little artificial illumination. The ability to conduct operations with the aid of night vision goggles (NVGs) brings an enhanced operational safety and situational awareness capability to Search and Rescue Helicopter Crews.
“This enhanced capability offers significant operational improvements for both SAR and HEMS operations.
“Night vision goggles have been purchased and the five helicopters have been refitted to enable NVIS operations to take place. Training of aircrew is underway.”
The night vision goggles are helmet-mounted devices which amplify available light. NVGs significantly improve night flying operations, especially in areas of limited celestial or surface reference lights.
Using NVGs, pilots can now venture out in the darkness almost as safely as during the daytime.
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