Mr. Christopher England:

The Army is busy with its own primary roles. We interact, particularly in my area, where we have the Glen of Imaal and we have to interact with them. We have a good relationship with the folks in the glen and the commandant down there has been useful, but when walkers stray, for example, into the impact area, it is an Army issue. It is not for a civilian mountain rescuer to go into that area.

The primary use of where we would seek the assistance of the Army is in prolonged long-term issues, for example, prolonged periods of snow where we might have to call upon its assistance for additional four-wheel drive capacity or when we have large searches where we can bring the Army in. It takes a day or two to gather all the troops in and get the relevant persons in place, if one has a prolonged search. If one looks at most mountain rescue incidents, they are three or four hours long and, as for trying to mobilise an Army unit in that time, it just does not happen.