Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 8 July 2025
270. Deputy Malcolm Byrne asked the Minister for Transport for an update on additional funding to meet the possible cost of the acquisition of a new boat for Cahore Inshore Rescue, and other plans for funding for similar voluntary bodies; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37414/25]
View answerThe Department of Transport provides annual maintenance grants to the Community Rescue Boats of Ireland to support day to day running costs of those organisations. The Community Rescue Boats of Ireland, of which Cahore Inshore Rescue is a member, are Search And Rescue (SAR) organisations declared to the Irish Coast Guard with governing Service Level Agreements between them and the Coast Guard. Each one receives a set annual maintenance grant which is currently under review. This review, which is at the final stages, is being conducted in the context of an unchanged grant amount for a number of years and the improved safety and assurance standards required of SAR operators under the recently published IRCG Rescue Boat Guidelines.
In relation to the acquisition of a new rescue boat for Cahore Inshore Rescue, the Department of Transport does not have any other grant mechanism outside of the annual maintenance grant scheme to support such a project.
