THE Irish government sold six helicopters for just €233,000 each in a major sale of equipment earlier this year.

The six Alouette aircraft – along with an array of tools and hundreds of spare parts – were put up for auction and fetched only €1.4m.

The Department of Defence said a tender competition had taken place in 2008 to dispose of the aircraft and other items, which had been "stood down" and replaced by a more modern fleet.

A statement said: "Following on from the tender competition, a sale agreement was completed earlier this year with a French company, MAT Aviation.

"The income received from the sale of the helicopters, together with special tools and spare parts, was €1.4m."

It is understood the French company which purchased the helicopters plan to refit them and sell them on to another buyer.

Major controversy erupted earlier this year when it was revealed four Irish Air Corps choppers were sold to a US company for just over €300,000.

The helicopters, which were renovated and refurbished, were sold on to the Chilean navy for €19m.

The four AS365 Dauphin Helicopters, along with tools and special parts, had been sold following an open tender competition for just €311,000.

Rotor Leasing, which bought the aircraft, said it had refurbished the aircraft at significant expense and then sold them on to Eurocopter, the manufacturer.

It is understood further renovation work then took place before they were kitted out for the Chilean navy.

While the Department of Defence has insisted the taxpayer did not lose €18m on the deal, Air Corps sources have conceded the choppers were sold at a bargain-basement price.

Sources said the €1.4m received in the second auction of six Alouettes earlier this year represented better value than the previous sale.

One member of the Air Corps said: "It would be considered a better deal. In the current climate, selling helicopters is not exactly easy and the price is still a bargain.

"If they are refurbished as well, whoever has got their hands on them will turn a tidy profit because no matter what way you look at it, €230,000 for a helicopter is very cheap."

The Alouette fleet, eight of which had been in service with the Air Corps, had been put into service in 1963, primarily for use in air and sea rescue.

Six of the aircraft were put up for auction while a seventh chopper was donated to the Ulster Aviation Society for display in a museum.

An eighth Alouette has been retained at Baldonnell Aerodrome in memory of the 542 lives saved by the aircraft during their active history.

The Department of Defence said the Alouettes had been involved in 1,700 rescue missions before being "stood down" in September 2007.

The fleet also flew more than 2,800 air ambulance missions and was frequently deployed with the army in operations particularly in border regions.