Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister of State for taking this Topical Issue on behalf of the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Deputy Donohoe.

Meath River Rescue was founded in 1996 to help the other services to search and recover missing persons. It is a voluntary organisation and, realistically, receives much of its funding through the support of the people in Meath via donations from church gate collections, collection tins placed at local business premises and individual donations. It currently has a membership of 35 persons and that is divided into groups of divers. They have extremely experienced swimmers, a number of coxswains, crew members as well as personnel trained in the provision of first aid and all of these members offer their time on a voluntary basis.

It is not easy work. The rescue service can carry out all types of services, whether on land or in water. Unfortunately, most of the time, when they are carrying out searches in the water, they are generally looking for bodies rather than persons who are still alive. It is extremely difficult work. The rescue service holds weekly training sessions for both new and established members and although the members are volunteers, sufficient personnel are always available to mount searches and continue them for as long as possible. In order to assist a particular family, for example, a search could last months.

The rescue service has grown from a small number of members to its present complement. In 2006, it reorganised and obtained charity status with the help of Meath County Council, which provided it with a site. Then, with assistance from many others, €120,000 was raised in two months and it enabled an agreement to be made with Meath Partnership for a new purpose-built bathhouse, which cost over €370,000 and which I had the pleasure of helping to open.

Meath River Rescue offers an invaluable service, not just to the people of Meath but also to those who live in the surrounding counties. As the Minister of State is aware, there are many people doing a great deal of good work. It is very tough work which takes up time and energy and it is all done on a voluntary basis. Much of Meath River Rescue's finance come from fund-raising. It is extremely difficult for organisations to raise funds at present. People in Ireland are always very generous when it comes to donating to charities or other organisations but we have all gone through a difficult time and money is not easy to come by.

This leads me to the issue that I want to raise. The vehicles used by Meath River Rescue are not exempt from the toll on the M3 or, for that matter, from any toll. In particular, the M3 motorway is used regularly by the crew and if one were to add up the amount of tolls paid by the organisation during one year, it would amount to the proceeds of a number of fund-raisers. That is a large amount of money.

Rescue services are normally exempt from paying tolls. Under the Roads Act 1993, ambulances, fire brigade vehicles and vehicles used by members of the Garda Síochána and the Defence Forces are exempt from payment of tolls. However, the Irish Coast Guard, mountain rescue teams and other community-based voluntary organisations, including river rescue, are not. These organisations, in particular Meath River Rescue, provide an invaluable service on a voluntary basis and the amount of money that this would cost the Exchequer on a yearly basis is very little compared to how much it would help these organisations who assist so many families in Meath.

I ask the Minister to reconsider the organisations that are able to avail of it.

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