"Minister Dempsey signs New Search and Rescue Helicopter Contract on Behalf of the Irish Coast Guard..Pictured Presenting a Picture of the new Aircraft to the Minister Noel Dempsey, (L) Mark Kelly, Managing Director, CHC Ireland, Mark McComiskey, Chairman CHC, Tilmann Gabriel, President CHC Europe, Chris Reynolds, Director Irish Coast Guard and Minister Noel Dempsey..Picture Fran Caffrey/www.newsfile.ie..Minister Dempsey signs New Search and Rescue Helicopter Contract..""These Helicopters will improve the capacity, range, speed and capability of Ireland's search and rescue service,"" states Dempsey...New type Sikorsky S92A Helicopter on display at ceremony...The Minister for Transport Mr Noel Dempsey, T. D. today signed the contract awarding the provision of Helicopter SAR services to CHC Ireland. Transition to the modern helicopters will start in July 2012, and will run for ten years; with an option to extend for a further three years on a year by year basis. It represents a marked improvement in the capacity, range, speed and capability of Ireland's search and rescue service...The contract represents a continuation of the existing level of service with the principal change being the replacement of the Sikorsky S61N aircraft, with the 'new generation' Sikorsky S92A aircraft. These aircraft will operate out of Waterford, Shannon, Sligo and Dublin...Minister Dempsey said: ""I am delighted to sign this contract which will provide for the delivery of a top-class SAR service operating out of Bases in Waterford, Shannon, Sligo and Dublin up to 2022. There are over 130 jobs in this service and we anticipate that over 20 new posts will be created. CHC Ireland has an excellent record in delivering SAR services to our Coast Guard. The contract provides for helicopters that will fly to the scene of the mission faster. They find the vessels or persons in the water more efficiently using better search, surveillance and tracking tools. This will provide better medical facilities onb"
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