Derek Nolan (Galway West, Labour)
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372. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government if there is any agreement, currently or historically, in place between his Department and Mountain Rescue Ireland in relation to insurance costs for the organisation; if he will provide all the details relating to the agreement; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42322/13]

Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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In 2007 a Funding Scheme to Support National Organisations in the Community and Voluntary Sector was developed. This Scheme amalgamated and replaced previous Schemes operated under the White Paper on Supporting Voluntary Activity. Applications under this new Scheme were invited from community and voluntary organisations that operate at a national level with evidence of a nationwide membership. This Scheme ceased at the end of 2010 and a new three year funding Scheme was announced in December 2010 and commenced in July 2011. Guidelines for the current Scheme were prepared and published on the website of the then Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs and these guidelines indicated that funding would be provided for core operating costs comprising staffing costs, administration costs and ongoing running costs and that priority would be given to organisations providing key services to the disadvantaged.

Mountain Rescue Ireland successfully applied for funding under both the 2007 Scheme and also the current Scheme that commenced in July 2011. Under the current Scheme, funding of €70,000 was provided in 2012, and funding of almost €66,000 was allocated in 2013, towards core costs to Mountain Rescue Ireland. The Department’s understanding is that this is used to cover costs of insurance but the contract between my Department and Mountain Rescue Ireland does not specify that the funding must be used for insurance costs, only that the funding must be used for core costs.