Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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234. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development the support being given by his Department to mountain rescue; if this work is being co-ordinated through Comhairle na Tuaithe; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52371/17]

Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Mountain Rescue Ireland (MRI) operates on a voluntary basis, but has received State support for a number of years from various Government Departments to help with the organisation’s operating costs. I understand that the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport currently provides an average grant of approximately €7,400 per annum for each individual MRI rescue team, and a grant to Mountain Rescue Ireland as the coordinating body for these teams. This grant helps with the provision of health and safety equipment, etc.

Support was provided to MRI in 2016 by the Department of Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs towards the insurance costs of the MRI rescue teams. I also provided assistance towards MRI's insurance costs this year. A sum of €66,245 was paid to MRI in 2016 for this purpose, while the amount provided in 2017 was €88,816. The funding was not coordinated through Comhairle na Tuaithe.

Earlier this year I announced a new initiative, under the 2017 CLÁR programme, to support voluntary first-response organisations that provide much-needed services in rural areas in a voluntary capacity, often under very difficult circumstances. Under this measure, and as part of a competitive process, €361,116 was allocated to MRI towards the provision of 6 first response vehicles.

I recognise the very important work which MRI teams carry out and the support service they provide in rural and remote areas. All funded interventions will provide critical local support to the State's emergency response systems, particularly in hard-to-reach areas.