CHC Ireland is continuing to pursue its High Court challenge to the validity of the tender procedure for the Irish Coast Guard’s Irish Coast Guard’s new helicopter search and rescue contract.
The new contract with Bristow Ireland had been automatically suspended after CHC Ireland, the existing holder, announced its High Court challenge on June 14th.
CHC Ireland, which runs four helicopter bases for the Irish Coast Guard at Dublin, Shannon, Sligo and Waterford, had said it was “concerned that there are a number of flaws in the conduct of the competition”.
It initiated the legal action after Minister for Transport Eamon Ryan had confirmed that Bristow Ireland, a subsidiary of the US-based Bristow Group Inc, was the preferred bidder for the service to run for ten years from 2025.
The automatic suspension of any further contract procedures kicked in, but was then lifted in July, after the minister applied to the court for same.
This decision was upheld by the Irish court of appeal, allowing Mr Ryan to confirm he was signing the new contract with Bristow Ireland on August 22nd.
His department said that under the new contract, Bristow Ireland Limited would operate six AW189 helicopters from four dedicated bases in Sligo, Shannon, Waterford and Dublin Weston Airport.
It will also have two King Air fixed-wing aircraft at Shannon, for five years, allowing for the possibility that the Air Corps, Ireland’s air defence wing, may then assume responsibility for the fixed wing element.
“The new Irish Coast Guard aviation service will be introduced by Bristow Ireland Limited gradually on a phased basis and will be fully operational by July 2025,”the department said.
CHC Ireland said it was continuing its legal action, but would make no further comment. It is understood a court hearing on the issue may be heard in October.