[2] The organisation was previously funded by the Northern Ireland Mountain, Cliff and Cave Rescue Coordinating Committee (through Sport Northern Ireland and the Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure) and the Irish Coast Guard.

[citation needed] ICRO is affiliated with the Speleological Union of Ireland (SUI), collectively they are known as SUICRO,[6] as well as the British Cave Rescue Council.

If needed, additional rescuers from Britain can be called in with specialised skills,[1] such as for the recovery of Artur Kozłowski in 2011.

[7] ICRO has representatives on the National Co-ordinating Committee for Mountain and Cave Rescue (NCCMCR) in the Republic of Ireland and the Northern Ireland Mountain Rescue Co-ordinating Committee (NIMRCC).

[1] ICRO carries out major rescue training exercises throughout the year, and additional specialist training in areas such as rescue rigging, rope skills, stretcher handling, communications, wilderness first aid and casualty care.