Catherine Murphy
Ceist:146. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence the number of unpublished military air accident investigation reports that exist covering the years 1990 to date in 2024. [17604/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraTuesday, 23 April 2024
Ceisteanna (146)
Freagraí scríofa
I am advised that the information sought by the Deputy is not held in my Department and as such my officials have requested the numbers of same from the military authorities. I will revert to the Deputy as soon as the information is submitted to my Department.
The following deferred reply was received under Standing Order 51.
I refer to your recent Parliamentary Question No 146 (copy attached for ease of reference) in which you requested information in relation to the number of unpublished military air accident investigation reports that exist covering the years 1990 to date in 2024. You will recall that the information could not be obtained in the time available and I undertook to consult with military authorities and contact you again when the information was available. I am advised by military management that a comprehensive flight safety investigation is immediately initiated by the Irish Air Corps into all incidents involving an Air Corps aircraft. All investigations are led by the Air Corps Flight Safety Officer in accordance with Air Regulations Manual Part F - Flight Safety, Section 7 Accident and Incident Investigation. These reports are published on the Defence Forces intranet portal. Since 1999, the Air Accident Investigation Unit (AAIU) of the Department of Transport can investigate military air accidents upon request of the Minister for Defence and Minister for Transport. All AAIU investigations are published through their online portal. If you have a query in relation to a specific air accident, please send me the details and I will have the matter examined.