Denis Naughten (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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70. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will consider the establishment of a small capital grant for mountain and sub-aqua rescue and recovery groups; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54973/22]

Hildegarde Naughton (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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The Department of Transport provides an annual  grant to support the search and rescue activities of Mountain and Cave Rescue Teams and Community Inshore Rescue Boats, provided from the Irish Coast Guard budget.

Under the national Search and Rescue (SAR) plan the Coast Guard is required to discharge Ireland’s obligations by implementing the SAR plan for all incidents occurring in the maritime domain, or as otherwise requested by SAR authorities in other domains.

An Garda Síochána is responsible for land-based search and rescue and the coordination of searches and investigations for missing persons. Operations involving searching for and/or recovering the remains of persons involved in tragic incidents are conducted under the authority of An Garda Síochána.

Voluntary search groups also receive occasional funding from other government sources including the Department of Rural and Community Development, the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media, and local authorities. Water Safety Ireland implement a VAT exemption scheme applicable to independent maritime search organisations.