Seán Kyne (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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1289. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will report on the progress of his Department at designing a capital grant scheme to assist mountain rescue teams in securing new equipment vital to the tasks they carry out; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14171/14]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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As I outlined in response to a previous question on a related issue, I have asked my officials to consider the introduction of  a modest capital grant scheme for mountain rescue activities. However, there are significant constraints on my Department's overall capital budget. Furthermore, there are other capital demands arising from my primary responsibility to provide a marine emergency response service. My officials have discussed this matter earlier in the year with Mountain Rescue Ireland and as outlined to them, it will be some time later this year before it can be established whether there is any capital funding that could be utilised for mountain rescue services.