DWMRT Press Release

At 4am today, Christmas Day, volunteers from the Dublin & Wicklow and Glen of Imaal Mountain Rescue Teams were asked to assist a motorist from Dublin and his Kildare based girlfriend when their Opel Vectra became stuck while trying to cross a mountain road in an area known locally as the featherbeds, near Kilakee in South Dublin.  The road in question leads into the Wicklow Mountains, home to the infamous Wicklow and Sally gap mountain passes, notoriously difficult to cross in icy and snowy conditions such as those currently being experienced in Ireland.
The Wicklow and Sally Gap mountain passes and many parts of the military roads in County Wicklow remain impassable to almost all vehicles today.  Local and National radio stations traffic reports will have reported the same during this time, whilst roads leading into these passes display large warning signs year round to this effect.
Despite such repeated warnings each winter, many motorists continue to attempt these routes while entirely unprepared for the consequences, and subsequently expect Mountain Rescue to assist them, including recovering their stranded vehicle.
Whilst the Mountain Rescue teams will of course respond to any situation where life is at risk, they have clearly stated that they will not attempt or assist in recovery of any vehicle, under any circumstances.  Mountain Rescue teams in Ireland are 'tasked' by the Gardaí and must report back on the circumstances and outcome of each rescue, including one in which a motorist becomes stranded.
"Accidents can happen and mistakes will be made." said Paul Gilbert of the Dublin & Wicklow MRT, "but where we believe an unnecessary risk has been taken in crossing these mountain routes despite all the warnings and that risk has put our volunteers in dangers way when they respond, we understand the Gardaí will want to follow up directly with the motorists concerned."