Patrick O'Donovan (Limerick, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Anyone who watches the RTE programme on emergency and rescue services will probably get a better insight into the work of mountain rescue. I am not from a mountainous county but we have low uplands, in Ballyhoura and Mullaghareirk.

In the area, there is a response organisation. Following a missing young person case a number of years ago in the Abbeyfeale area, there came about the Abbeyfeale and District Search and Rescue. Subsequently, there was the establishment of Foynes and District Search and Rescue, a voluntary organisation which acts as a support to the State agencies on the Shannon Estuary from a water point of view. Unfortunately, in the recent past, search and rescue staff and volunteers have been confronted more than ever by the spectre of those going missing, in some cases in the process of dying by suicide. In my area, on the banks of the River Shannon, this has been a significant issue for the voluntary services, from Limerick city and Bunratty, down into Foynes, Ballybunion and elsewhere, looking for and trying to retrieve those who have tragically died by suicide. Anybody who in any way can assist the families of loved ones who have gone out and taken their own lives, or lost their lives, either from a cliff face in Ballybunion, in the water at Ringmoylan in Pallaskenry or wherever, should be applauded for the fantastic work that they do. I have seen it at first hand myself where volunteers take time off of work to walk the shoreline or go out in rigid inflatable boats, RIBs, with the sole purpose of, where possible, rescue or recovery.

I understand that Mountain Rescue Ireland is primarily focused on mountain rescue. What relationship does it have with those organisations carrying out important work in serving areas not necessarily a certain level above sea level, whether due to persons who got lost through dementia, as occurred in my area in bogs, in some cases for weeks or those who would have gone away with the intent of not coming back? Do they see any pathway towards making such services present in other communities, not only those of a mountainous nature?

I can understand that the risk level is much higher in their case because mountains attract those of all levels of experience. One obvious case is Croagh Patrick in the Chairman's constituency, which I have climbed on a good few occasions. One sees every shape and make of person going up and down that mountain and one would wonder how some of them manage to do it. Some of them run it barefoot, which is a fair achievement. I wonder what kind of relationship Mountain Rescue Ireland would have with organisations across the country that are not necessarily servicing the mountainous areas. I acknowledge, and thank them for, the work that they do.