The Department of Defence will invest €650,000 in wildlife control measures at Casement Airbase in Baldonnel to reduce dangerous bird and hare strikes that threaten aircraft safety.
The military facility houses the Irish Air Corps, Garda Air Support Unit, and the government jet used by the President, Taoiseach, and ministers for official business, making flight safety a critical concern.
A specialized Bird Control Unit currently operates at the airbase, using trained raptors including peregrine falcons and harris hawks to hunt and deter flocks that pose risks to aircraft. These measures aim to prevent strikes that can cause significant aircraft damage and engine failures.
The department published a tender this week seeking qualified specialists to operate the unit using various control and deterrent methods. The one-year contract, with potential for two 12-month extensions, requires contractors to maintain full-time coverage with at least one specialist on-site during operational hours.
Service providers must demonstrate proven wildlife control experience and hold valid firearms licenses for shotguns, .22 rifles, and other weapons used at the location. They must also supply a four-wheel-drive vehicle for airfield operations.
The contractor will employ multiple techniques including bio-acoustic distress calls, pyrotechnics, visual deterrents, trapping, and culling. Trained raptors may continue being used, but birds must be fully trained for daily operations.
Strict protocols require collection, photographing, bagging, and freezing of any culled birds or strike victims for later identification and analysis.
Bird strikes pose serious aviation risks, as demonstrated by recent incidents including the Jeju Air crash in South Korea that killed 179 passengers following a suspected bird strike, and the famous 2009 “Miracle on the Hudson” emergency landing after a US Airways plane hit a flock of geese.
Last month, an Aer Lingus flight to New York returned to Dublin Airport after striking pigeons during ascent, with pilots reporting engine vibrations.
The tender closes on September 29th, with the new contractor expected to begin operations by November.