The programme for Government includes a commitment to support underwater search and recovery units. They are, in the main, volunteer groups, with which many people are not familiar until a person, sadly, goes missing and a search is commenced. Underwater search and recovery units carry out searches of the River Blackwater, Cork Harbour, the River Lee and many other bodies of water to try to bring peace of mind and closure to families. The groups rely on volunteer resources and receive support from community groups through the provision of boats, RIBs, sonar equipment and so forth. Given that the programme for Government has been in place for almost two years, when will underwater search and recovery units expect to receive the promised support or will the Government continue to take advantage of the voluntarism of the groups? They need Government support.

I would never describe volunteers as being taken advantage of because the nature of voluntarism is that people want to volunteer and do so for altruistic reasons. I understand some of the bodies in question receive funding through the Irish Coast Guard Vote of the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport. I will ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Deputy Shane Ross, to furnish the Deputy with a more detailed reply.