Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 19 May 2026
323. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Defence the procurement mechanism used for the acquisition of the four Airbus H145 helicopters for the Air Corps; whether the acquisition was conducted through an open competitive tender process, a negotiated procedure, a Government-to-Government arrangement, or another procurement framework; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37022/26]
View answer324. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Defence whether any exemption from standard public procurement procedures or EU defence procurement requirements was applied in relation to the acquisition of the four Airbus H145 helicopters for the Air Corps; the legal basis relied upon for any such exemption; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37023/26]
View answer325. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Defence whether a formal value-for-money assessment, benchmarking exercise, or comparative procurement analysis was conducted prior to approval of the acquisition of the four Airbus H145 helicopters; whether comparisons were made with similar acquisitions by other EU member states; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37024/26]
View answer326. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Defence the total approved acquisition cost associated with the four Airbus H145 helicopters for the Air Corps, including airframes, training, maintenance support, spare parts, mission systems, avionics, and associated infrastructure costs; and if she will provide a breakdown of same. [37025/26]
View answer327. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Defence whether the recommendations of the Commission on the Future of the Defence Forces were considered during the procurement process relating to the acquisition of the four Airbus H145 helicopters; whether the Department assessed medium-lift helicopter capability requirements as part of that process; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37026/26]
View answer328. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Defence whether any Israeli-manufactured, Israeli-developed, or Israeli-origin systems, avionics, software, communications equipment, sensors, or mission components form part of the Airbus H145 helicopters acquired for the Air Corps; whether ministerial approval was specifically sought or granted in relation to any such components; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37027/26]
View answer329. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Defence whether Cabinet approval was required and obtained in relation to the acquisition of the four Airbus H145 helicopters for the Air Corps; the date on which approval was granted; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37028/26]
View answer330. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Defence whether any independent external consultancy, technical advisory body, or procurement specialist was engaged to advise the Department in relation to the acquisition of the four Airbus H145 helicopters; the identity of any such body; the cost of such consultancy services; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37029/26]
View answer331. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Defence the expected operational role of the four Airbus H145 helicopters within the Air Corps fleet structure; whether the aircraft are classified by the Department as light utility helicopters, medium-lift helicopters, or otherwise; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37030/26]
View answer332. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Defence whether any further helicopter procurement programme remains under consideration by the Department in relation to medium-lift capability for the Air Corps; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37031/26]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 323, 324, 325, 326, 327, 328, 329, 330, 331 and 332 together.
A detailed account of the acquisition of the Airbus H145M helicopters for the Air Corps was provided previously in my reply to Parliamentary Question No. 26008/26, which was composited with responses to fifteen other related questions tabled by the Deputy on this matter. Those replies set out the background to the procurement, the capability rationale underpinning the decision, and the governance and approval frameworks within which the acquisition was undertaken.
By way of further clarification, and to address the additional issues raised by the Deputy, a contract is in place for the delivery of four Airbus H145M helicopters to provide a modern training and light-utility helicopter capability for the Air Corps. The procurement was conducted in accordance with EU Defence and Security procurement legislation, the Public Spending Code and the Infrastructure Guidelines, and was underpinned by legal advice from the Office of the Attorney General and with legal assistance from the Office of the Chief State Solicitor.
The acquisition followed a comprehensive Strategic Assessment Review, Preliminary Business Case and Final Business Case process, as required under the Public Spending Code. This process included a detailed operational requirements analysis and an options assessment examining how identified capability requirements could best be met in a sustainable and value-for-money manner. The assessment considered pilot training requirements, operational roles, interoperability, fleet resilience, and projected lifecycle operating, maintenance and service-life costs.
The total approved capital value of the contract is €91.7 million, exclusive of VAT. Full details of the contract award rationale are published and are available on the European Tenders Electronic Platform under Contract Award Notice Number 47059 - 2025. The legal justification for the contract award was underpinned by legal advice from the Office of the Attorney General and is in compliance with the provisions of the Defence and Security Directive 2009/81/EC.
As outlined in my earlier replies, the recommendations of the Report of the Commission on the Defence Forces (CoDF) were considered as part of the capability development and procurement process. While the Commission recommended the acquisition of two additional medium-lift helicopters within Level of Ambition 2, it also explicitly acknowledged that the specific equipment recommendations were intended to be indicative rather than prescriptive. In this context, the Department and the Defence Forces examined whether modernisation of Air Corps capability could best be delivered through the acquisition of additional medium-lift helicopters or through the procurement of a greater number of modern military light-utility helicopters. Analysis was undertaken on whether resources that might otherwise have been allocated to the acquisition of two additional AW-139 helicopters within a fleet, which is to due to be replaced, could be more effectively invested in procuring four H145M aircraft to replace the ageing EC135 fleet which need to be replaced. The acquisition of the H145M helicopters was assessed as providing enhanced flexibility across training, utility transport, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, maritime support and general operational taskings.
The acquisition of the H145M helicopters forms part of a wider programme of rotary-wing fleet modernisation for the Air Corps. As set out in my earlier replies to the Deputy, work is also continuing, in accordance with the Infrastructure Guidelines and the recommendations of the CoDF Report and the updated Detailed Implementation Plan, to assess and progress future helicopter requirements, including the Super Medium Helicopter fleet which will replace the AW-139 medium lift fleet.
The H145M is classified as a military light-utility training/ multi-role helicopter within the Air Corps fleet. It is intended to support a range of roles consistent with Government policy and the operational taskings of the Defence Forces, including its primary role of pilot training and secondary roles of utility support, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, maritime support and force-protection duties.
The Department does not comment on systems fitted to Air Corps aircraft for operational reasons. It may be noted, however, as previously advised, that the H145 helicopter is fitted with the Helionix avionics suite, which is proprietary to Airbus. Avionics systems are standard equipment on all modern civil and military aircraft and are not military-specific in nature.
As already stated in replies to the Deputy’s earlier questions, no separate or specific Cabinet decision was required in relation to the acquisition of the H145M helicopters, with approval having been provided through established Defence and public expenditure governance processes and in line with the Public Spending Code approval guidelines.
The procurement of the H145M helicopters was carried out using experienced Defence Organisation expertise which has successfully managed and delivered in to operational service numerous major capital equipment programmes in the air domain, without the need to engage external consultancy, technical advisory bodies, or procurement specialists.
