Relatives of the four Air Corps pilots and crew who died in a helicopter crash in Co Waterford three years ago have called on the Minister for Defence, Mr Smith, to resign over his decision to cancel the State contract for replacement aircraft.
Mr Tony Baker, father of the late Capt Mick Baker, and Mr Vincent Byrne, father of the late Cpl Niall Byrne, said that they were not surprised by the Minister's announcement, but believed Mr Smith should step down from his position.
Mr Baker also said the file on purchase of the new helicopters should be referred to the Director of Public Prosecutions.
The Minister announced on Friday that the deal to purchase up to five helicopters from the US firm, Sikorsky, was being cancelled as part of a €40 million cut in defence spending. The contract had not been signed, because of a High Court action taken by a rival bidder, Eurocopter.
The Minister's decision, which he described as "painful", came just days after the third anniversary of the fatal Dauphin helicopter crash in Co Waterford. Capt Dave O'Flaherty (30), Capt Mick Baker (28), Sgt Pat Mooney (34) and Cpl Niall Byrne (24) died when their helicopter crashed into a sand dune in thick fog on Tramore beach early on July 2nd, after returning from a successful rescue mission. It was the worst accident in the history of the Air Corps.
The official report by the Air Accident Investigation Unit (AAIU) highlighted serious deficiencies in support from a number of quarters including Air Corps senior management, the Department of Defence and the Department of the Marine and Natural Resources. The unsuitability of the short-range Dauphin for search-and-rescue work on the Atlantic margin was also identified.
Mr Tony Baker said he was not surprised by the Minister's failure to meet his commitment to purchase more suitable replacement aircraft. However, the cost to the taxpayer of the legal bills arising from the handling of the new contract was a serious issue, he said.
The file on the contract procedure should be examined by the Director of Public Prosecutions, he said. "The Minister had appointed an expert group to examine the bids for these replacement aircraft, and he then ignored its advice and gave the contract to Sikorsky," Mr Baker said.
The expert group is understood to have recommended last year that the contract be given to Eurocopter.
However, Sikorsky promised to provide significant business for the FLS Aerospace plant in north Dublin, and pressure was brought to bear on the Minister by the Tánaiste, several north Dublin TDs and the US ambassador. When he announced that Sikorsky had been selected, Eurocopter mounted a legal challenge.
Mr Vincent Byrne, father of the late Cpl Niall Byrne, said that he echoed Mr Baker's call for the Minister to step down. "The Minister is effectively abandoning search-and-rescue by the Air Corps," Mr Byrne said.
"The Government has spent €30 million on contracted helicopter services provided to the Irish Coast Guard, and that money could have been spent on equipment for the Air Corps," Mr Byrne said.
"Quite clearly, there is no commitment to having our own equipment or expertise, and I feel that my son, Niall, and his colleagues have been very badly let down."
