I would like to congratulate Dublin and Wicklow and Glen of Imaal Mountain Rescue Teams on reaching such an important milestone of 100 rescues in a single year and to acknowledge the important role that Mountain Rescue Teams play in assisting people who get into difficulty on our hills and mountains.
Responsibility for the coordination of mountain rescue rests with An Garda Siochana under the Framework for Major Emergency Management. Additional support is provided on request by the Coast Guard, Air Corps helicopters, and by Civil Defence. The Coast Guard, which is a Division of my Department has responsibility for the administration of grant payments to mountain rescue teams. In 2013 these teams were paid a grant of €14,815.00 each. Despite the pressure on public finances it has been possible to retain the grant at this level over the past few years.