Written answers
Tuesday, 5 July 2011
Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport
Search and Rescue Services
9:00 pm
Ciara Conway (Waterford, Labour)
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Question 638: To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the position regarding support for Mountain Rescue Ireland in view of the cut in grants sustained over the past two years; the implications that this will have for the safety of hillwalkers, persons cut off by bad weather and for tourism; if further cuts to funding may be expected; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18335/11]
Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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My Department is responsible for administering payment of grants to the Mountain and Cave Rescue Teams in Ireland. Responsibility for the co-ordination of mountain rescue rests with An Garda Síochána under the Framework for Major Emergency Management. Notwithstanding the current difficult economic climate, the mountain and cave rescue teams will receive current funding grants of the order of €209,600 in 2011. The Irish Mountain Rescue Association is an all-Ireland body and further support is availed of in Northern Ireland. There are no further plans for cuts in this area at this stage. It is important to also point out that, in addition to the mountain rescue teams, the assistance of An Garda Síochána, the Civil Defence and the Irish Coast Guard helicopters and Coast Guard rescue teams is also available to those who get into difficulty on our highlands, mountains and remote areas.
Comments
Fergal Hill
Posted on 8 Jul 2011 8:57 pm (Report this comment)
An Garda Siochana are currently severely under staffed due to the government's recruitment restriction and barely able to cope with their regular policing duties. Civil defence is generally not equipped or trained to undertake specialised rescues and while the Coast guard helicopters are an invaluable asset to mountain rescue they cannot operate in all weathers. If you are lying on a mountainside in bad weather, with fading light and a badly broken leg it's unlikely to be a Garda, civil defence member or helicopter crew that will be coming to your assistance. Mountain rescue teams provide a service to the state that is not getting fair recognition and to hint that they are not really needed by mentioning all other services (no disrespect to them - they also do a great job) is simply an insult to mountain rescue. Give mountain rescue the support they need and deserve.
paddy looney
Posted on 13 Jul 2011 12:05 am (Report this comment)
Would love to know why my comment was removed.perhaps too close to the truth perhaps.
Crackie
Posted on 14 Jul 2011 10:35 am (Report this comment)
I think the mountain rescue teams can avail of funding opportunities from a wide variety of sources particularly members of the public. Perhaps there should be a levy on mountaineers to pay for the service? Lifeboats are 100% voluntary funded. Why cant mountain rescue teams?
Crackie
Posted on 14 Jul 2011 10:41 am (Report this comment)
to be fair to him the question was also about hill walkers and remote areas and bad weather also so the Civil Defence have an expanding role there. Divers get into trouble but there is no similar fund for CFT recovery teams!
JAMES BARRY
Posted on 8 Jul 2011 7:46 pm (Report this comment)
I think the minister should look again at his answer, and change it accordingly. If he had the correct information and knew the people that have been out on the mountains of Ireland for the last 40 years or so helping people in all kinds of weather day and night, we might get the correct answer. If he goes to CROAGH PATRICK at the end of the month he will see and meet a few of them, they will have MOUNTAIN RESCUE on their jackets.