New Rescue 118 contract to remain 24/7

It’s been confirmed that Rescue 118 will maintain a 24/7 service.A decision was previously made in February to postpone the new operating system at its Strandhill base following safety concerns about the timing of the transition between two different contractors.Bristow Ireland was awarded the ten-year contract in 2023, replacing the previous operator CHC Ireland.While The Department of Transport confirmed that a full agreement is now in place for deployment from 2026, saying that it “involves no additional cost to the exchequer”.Speaking in the Dáil, Donegal Deputy Pat ‘Cope’ Gallagher outlined that the situation has left many concerned in the north west:In response, Minister Sean Canney says the non-interruption of current services is the priority.