Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 6 February 2018
567. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development his plans to fund a capital programme to develop suitable bases for mountain rescue teams in locations in which none exists in view of the importance of mountain rescue to the development of rural recreation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5886/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraI acknowledge that Mountain Rescue Ireland (MRI) is an important support organisation in rural Ireland and, in recognition of this, the Government has provided significant support to the organisation over the last number of years.
Mountain Rescue Ireland has received support 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 which helps, among other things, with the provision of health and safety equipment.
In 2016, through the former Department of Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, I provided a sum of €66,245 to MRI towards the organisation's insurance costs for 2017. In 2017, I provided €88,816 towards the organisation's insurance costs for 2018.
As part of the 2017 CLÁR programme, I also announced an initiative to support voluntary first-response organisations that provide much-needed services in rural areas in a voluntary capacity. Under this measure, and as part of a competitive process, €361,116 was allocated to MRI towards the provision of 6 first-response vehicles.
The forthcoming National Development Plan will set out the Government's priorities for capital investment over the next 10 years. I will be reviewing the scope of all of my Department's programmes in the context of the resources available to me to ensure that the funding has the maximum impact on rural areas and the support services they require.
