Future of rescue helicopter services which cover Donegal raised by north-west TD

A north-west Dáil deputy has called on Tánaiste Leo Varadkar to give assurances as to the continued operation of the Search and Rescue (SAR) service from Sligo Airport. The Sligo based helicopter has been tasked for numerous rescue operations off Donegal in recent years.

Currently there are four SAR bases, Sligo, Shannon, Waterford and Dublin, and R118 operates out of Sligo.  

A new pre-tender document has been published by the Government for the provision of SAR services nationally and it states that it requires “at least three bases” nationally.  This means that Sligo Airport could well lose out.  

Speaking in Dáil Éireann, Deputy Harkin - who represents the Sligo/Leitrim constituency that takes in part of south Donegal - pressed the Tánaiste to give a commitment regarding the retention of R118 in Sligo Airport, thus helping to guarantee the future of the airport.

Addressing the Tánaiste, Deputy Harkin said, “Tánaiste, it is absolutely essential that R118 Emergency Service continues to operate from Sligo Airport.  For the past two years, on the basis of call outs, Sligo is the busiest base of the four national bases covering an area from Galway to Belfast.”  

She continued: “Sligo is at a huge disadvantage in tendering as the other six airports receive ongoing Government funding.  €159 million, including capital funding has been allocated for the next four years, but Sligo Airport is not included.  There is massive concern that Rescue 118 will be taken away from Sligo and I am asking for a guarantee that Sligo will be included as one of the bases for the coastguard service.”

In response, the Tánaiste said that because there is a tender process underway, he was limited as to what he could say, but he anticipated that the outcome “would continue to be four bases, and it would be the same four bases, Waterford, Sligo, Shannon and Dublin, but there is a contractual basis underway, and it does have to follow a certain procedure.”

While Deputy Harkin welcomed the Tánaiste’s words, nonetheless she insisted there is still a very significant risk in regard to Sligo maintaining its SAR base.

Outlining her concerns regarding the future of Sligo Airport, Deputy Harkin emphasised the fact that since 2011, when commercial flights ceased, Sligo Airport has received no state funding until the beginning of this year, when it received €50,000 as the first tranche of a €200,000 subvention to carry out the upgrading of safety provisions at the airport.

“If we compare Sligo Airport with Waterford Airport, which ceased commercial flights in 2016, we can see the huge discrepancy in funding levels.  Both Sligo and Waterford airports are of similar size and carry out the same functions, i.e., Coast Guard Search and Rescue base.  If we compare the total level of Capital and Operational funding allocated to Sligo and Waterford airport for the period 2007 to 2017, we see that Sligo Airport received a total of €1.84 million, whereas Waterford Airport received €19.94 million.

“I am not playing beggar my neighbour politics here and good luck to Waterford for ensuring such huge support for its airport, but the massive question still stands – why has Sligo Airport received such a paltry amount of Government funding”, Deputy Harkin asked.

She commended the sterling work of the Sligo Airport board and the management and staff of Sligo Airport in maintaining the airport so that it can host R118.  

“It has taken prudent management and extremely careful financial planning to keep the airport open, and it could so easily be lost, along with the fifteen fulltime jobs”, Deputy Harkin stated.

In conclusion, Deputy Harkin strongly emphasised the need for a vigorous campaign from the North West to ensure a viable future for Sligo Airport.  Currently 85% of the airport’s revenue comes from its contract and fuel sales to CHC helicopters, the provider of the Search and Rescue service.  If that were to cease, the airport would become unviable immediately.

Furthermore, Sligo Airport is seeking a modest €150,000 per year for a five-year period to support airport operations, as a critical public service, and to support the airport in diversifying its business and revenue base to ensure future self-sustainability.  

“Finally, we need to be very vigilant in Sligo as the campaign to ensure retention of the SAR base in Waterford is well and truly underway, both locally and nationally, and I wish them well, but we in Sligo cannot be left behind in all of this and that could happen so easily.  We must speak with one voice from the North West and demand the retention of R118 at Sligo Airport”, Deputy Harkin concluded.