My Department, through the Irish Coast Guard, administers an annual grant scheme to Mountain Rescue Ireland, the umbrella organisation for mountain rescue teams on the island of Ireland, and to associated membership teams. However, it is important to recognise that the Garda Síochána have responsibility for the co-ordination of mountain rescue teams under the framework for major emergency management.
In administering this grant, my Department liaises with Mountain Rescue Ireland and relevant statutory bodies each year to review grant expenditure matters. It is a matter for individual teams to decide how the allocated maintenance grant is spent, as each team at local level develops its own administrative and operational practices. Going into 2018, there are 11 mountain rescue teams in Ireland that will be able to avail of grant funding.
Please see the following table setting out the expenditure for 2017. The grant aid took place in line with previous years and the grants are tiered to reflect regional activity. Mountain Rescue Ireland also receives an annual development grant, which for the past three years, it has invested in maintaining a "Tetra" communications system. I can confirm that the budget for grant aid in 2018 is set at the same level as that of 2017.
ANNUAL GRANTS- MOUNTAIN RESCUE TEAMS
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Mountain Rescue Ireland
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€18,520.00
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Glen of Imaal Mountain Rescue
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€14,815.00
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Irish Cave Rescue Organisation
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€18,520.00
|
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Mountain Rescue Ireland Development Grant
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€60,000
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Kerry Mountain Rescue
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€14,815.00
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Dublin/Wicklow Mountain Rescue
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€14,815.00
|
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Search and Rescue Dogs Association
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€7,407.00
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Tramore Mountain Rescue
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€3,704.00
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Donegal Mountain Rescue
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€7,407.00
|
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Mayo Mountain Rescue
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€7,407.00
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Galway Mountain Rescue
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€7,407.00
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South Eastern Mountain Rescue
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€7,407.00
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Sligo/Leitrim Mountain Rescue
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€7,407.00
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