Handover of Search and Rescue contracts must protect existing crews
- Bristow Ireland will now hold contract
- Worth €1B over 10 years to company
Fianna Fáil TD for Clare Cathal Crowe is calling on the Minister for Transport to ensure that employment conditions for crews on Search and Rescue teams nationwide are protected, as the SAR handover takes place.
The Department of Transport has awarded a new Search and Rescue (SAR) contract to Bristow Ireland, a subsidiary of Bristow Group Ltd, which will receive €1 billion over the 10-year lifetime of the contract.
“As a country, we are forever indebted to the SAR teams across Ireland who put their own lives in danger to rescue others,” said Deputy Crowe.
“They carry out work that only a select few are cut out for and not always with a positive outcome – it’s something that we take for granted and we must commend them for what they do.
“I am calling on the Minister for Transport to ensure that the Protection of Employees on Transport of Undertakings Regulations 2003 is applied to this handover.
“It is vital that the existing hard-fought terms and conditions of crews are not compromised during this handover between the outgoing and incoming companies.
“Our SAR crews here in Clare have responded to injured residents, tourists, searches for missing people and other high-risk operations.
“They fly in all conditions to help the people of Ireland and anybody who is here who needs their assistance.
“I think it is vital now that we step up to the plate and support them at their hour of need, just as they have done so many times for everybody else.”
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