Tony Killeen (Clare, Fianna Fail)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 10 and 13 together.

A review group on public safety was established in November 1999. The group was chaired by Dr. Daniel O'Hare and was widely representative of Departments and various agencies and bodies. Its report, entitled A Review of Public Safety in Ireland, was published just over a year later.

The key recommendation of the group was that an office of public safety regulation should be considered, but there was not full agreement within the group on this key point. The group envisaged that such a public safety office would not itself be responsible for public safety but would have some form of overseeing or co-ordination role of all the agencies and bodies which have a function in public safety matters. Some members of the group expressed concerns about the duplication of existing services and the resulting unnecessary burden on public finances. Even within the group as a whole there appears to have been some doubts as to the long-term need for a new public safety office, which is shown in its proposal that the functioning, appropriateness and continuing need for the office should be reviewed within a five-year period.

It is evident that the review group's recommendation is inconclusive and a clear-cut case for the establishment of a new agency has not been made. Another State agency whose function is merely to oversee other agencies on public safety matters is not the right way forward.

The Government task force on emergency planning is chaired by the Minister for Defence and comprises other Ministers, senior officials of Departments and public authorities which make a key contribution to the emergency planning process. This is the top level structure giving policy and direction and which co-ordinates and oversees the emergency planning activities of all Departments and public authorities.

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