The Government has announced that it’s set to offer the next Irish Coast Guard search & rescue aviation contract to Bristow Ireland Limited.
Current company CHC is set to lose the contract after 12 years of running the service.
The new contract will provide for the day and night-time operation of four helicopter bases in Sligo, Shannon, Waterford and Dublin.
In addition to the helicopter service, the new Coast Guard aviation service will, for the first time, also include a fixed wing aircraft element.
Rescue 118 is currently based at Sligo Airport and its expected that the new provider will also operate the service from Sligo.
Subject to contract, the new IRCG aviation service contract will cost approximately €670 million and will run for 10 years in the case of the helicopter service and five years in the case of fixed wing element of the service, with options to extend both services out to 13 years.
The contract makes provision for the Air Corps to provide the fixed wing element of the service after five years.
Over the coming weeks the Department of Transport will be working with the preferred bidder to finalise contracts.
It’s believed that staff will be reemployed by the new provider.
Rescue 118 is said to be the busiest of the four services in Ireland and is likely to be the first taken over by the new providers.
