Bertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)

The office of emergency planning deals with the detailed day-to-day issues. Obviously if a policy issue or some vital information arises from the high level group, it would inform the Minister for Defence, who is on the committee, and he would inform his colleagues in the office of emergency planning which deals with the broader remit. There is that crossover of personnel involved in the security area. This committee would not be involved in the financing of the aviation authority. Policy decisions have been made on Shannon. It is not a matter for the day-to-day committee. We have made these facilities available for more than half a century in all kinds of circumstances. That is the policy we follow and it is not a day-to-day issue.

The committee looks at the ongoing information of an international security nature from Interpol or Europol concerning individuals involved in subversion or fund-raising for subversives internationally as well as information coming from the Garda or the Defence Forces on international or local matters. It is involved in the high level area of looking at new threats and new issues. On the Deputy's last question, there is always ongoing concern at all levels that our emergency response units in many ways are available for emergency and contingency arrangements. They can range from weather or climatic conditions, as mentioned by the Deputy, or the foot and mouth issue of a few years ago, which was a major issue that needed to be addressed with security co-operation, to international terrorism. An enormous range of issues concern the committee.

See this speech in context