Peadar Tóibín
Ceist:146. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Defence whether her Department is satisfied with the operational performance and reliability of the Government jet since its acquisition. [47240/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraTuesday, 23 June 2026
Ceisteanna (146)
Freagraí scríofa
The Dassault Falcon 6X operational, since March 2026, has enhanced the State’s transport, airlift and medical evacuation capabilities, with a range of over 5000 nautical miles meaning it can reach the west coast of the United States without the need to refuel. It provides the State with an independent and flexible air transport service, which is an increasingly essential requirement to assist the Government in meeting Ireland’s national and international obligations.
In addition, the aircraft will be used for a broad range of other taskings, including the evacuation of Irish citizens from critical situations, air-ambulance patient transfers, medical evacuation or repatriation of Irish Defence Forces personnel deployed on overseas missions, and logistics support for the transport of supplies to Irish Defence Forces overseas missions.
The military authorities have advised me that they are satisfied that the aircraft is currently delivering an appropriate level of operational performance and reliability in line with its intended role.
Comprehensive performance and maintenance support arrangements are in place with the manufacturer and approved service providers. These arrangements include scheduled and unscheduled maintenance, technical support, and parts provisioning, all governed by contractual service level standards.