Brian Walsh (Galway West, Independent)
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646. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will provide details of all funding provided by his Department to mountain rescue organisations over the past five years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15287/14]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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I wish at the outset to acknowledge the excellent work done by mountain rescue organisations in Ireland. My Department is responsible for administering payment of grants to all the mountain rescue teams in Ireland. These teams, staffed by volunteers,  are called upon to operate in all weather conditions and provide a hugely important service. The grant scheme is managed by the Irish Coast Guard (IRCG) as Chair of the National Co-ordinating Committee for Mountain and Cave Rescue. The IRCG similarly administers payments of grants to other rescue organisations such as the Community Rescue Boats of Ireland (CRBI) and the Irish Cave Rescue Organisation (ICRO).

In administering this grant, the IRCG meets Mountain Rescue Ireland and relevant statutory bodies each year to review grant requests in accordance with a framework agreed some years ago. Over the past five years this grant funding scheme has provided €1,026,560 to Irish mountain rescue teams and management organisations.