Jack Chambers (Dublin West, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the guests. I apologise as I have not heard everything that has been said. I was attending a meeting of the Committee on Justice and Equality, and witnesses might know it is busy in here on Wednesdays. I have read the opening statements.

My questions relate to some of the difficulties around the weather warnings, and I know this has been discussed. There is confusion around the colour coding. There is an RTÉ remit and a broader remit for the State and its Departments. People cannot properly differentiate between red, yellow or orange warnings and do not know what would be the proper behavioural response to them. On the first day of the snow last year, everybody went to work despite there being a red warning. There had been a change from orange to red but everybody was out doing what they do every day. On the following day the warning continued to be red and nobody moved. There was confusion around the proper behavioural response. I know with weather patterns the situation is fluid and is based on the possible predictions.

Have we considered European norms in perhaps localising weather patterns or trying to integrate this with technology in a greater way? Part of the problem is that if people overestimate a particular warning, they will underestimate the following one, even if it should be taken seriously. It has definitely been the case with some people who have been injured and reckless, not only here but elsewhere.

Could anything be done from a public broadcasting perspective to alleviate such confusion so we could see an appropriate behavioural response? It also lends itself to clickbait with some digital platforms, with weather warnings becoming sensational for media purposes. I am not saying this is the fault of those present but it is a general and international concern with weather. People like to know what is coming. Is Met Éireann examining the colour format it currently employs as people do not know and understand the proper behavioural response.