James Bannon (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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614. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will make provision for additional funding for search and rescue units and clubs in the midlands to modernise their equipment to support the rescue operations which they provide on a voluntary basis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28204/14]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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My Department, through the Irish Coast Guard (IRCG), is responsible for the initiation, control and coordination of maritime emergencies in the Irish territorial waters, harbours and coastline. The Coast Guard carries out this function utilising its own assets and declared resources, and regularly provides assistance to the Gardaí across the country. As the Deputy can appreciate, resources available to my Department must be allocated to fulfil its primary responsibility of maritime search and rescue, pollution response and salvage.  However, I recognise the important role that other voluntary organisations play, in particular in providing support to those people partaking in activities such as trekking. Indeed adventure sports are getting more popular by the year and play an increasingly important role in tourism. In recognition of the role that mountain rescue teams in particular provide in supporting participation in these sports, I was very pleased to be in a position to announce a special once-off sports capital allocation of €200,000 to mountain rescue services. These funds are to be used for the modernisation of vehicles and equipment.