Brian Lenihan Jnr (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)

I am replying on behalf of the Minister for Defence, Deputy O'Dea. I thank Deputy Timmins for raising this matter.

In the aftermath of the events of 11 September 2001, the Government moved quickly and decisively to respond to the international security position. Government structures were put in place to support emergency planning in Ireland and to improve co-ordination across the various existing national emergency plans. The Government task force on emergency planning was established in 2001 and is the top-level structure which gives policy and direction and co-ordinates and oversees the emergency planning activities of all Departments and public authorities. It promotes the best possible use of resources and compatibility across different planning requirements.

The Government task force on emergency planning is chaired by the Minister for Defence. It includes Ministers, senior departmental officials, senior officers of the Garda Síochána and the Defence Forces, and officials of other key public authorities which have a lead or support role in Government emergency planning. There have been 49 meetings of the task force to date. Each meeting of the Government task force has, as a standing agenda item, an assessment of the current security threat, which is provided by the Garda Síochána and the Defence Forces. The current advice available suggests that the terrorist threat to Ireland is low. The figures supplied by Deputy Timmins are not accurate. They do not take account of the considerable salaries and overheads involved in engaging intelligence and security service personnel in the Garda and the Defence Forces.

The State's response to any security alert is primarily a matter for the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform. I can confirm that the Garda Síochána, acting as our national security service, maintains an up-to-date assessment of the national threat to the State from international terrorist groups through analysis gathered from domestic and international sources. These threat assessments are furnished to the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform and to the Government at regular intervals. I can also confirm that the Garda Síochána has developed excellent lines of communication and co-operation with police forces and security services in the European Union and further afield. This ongoing sharing of intelligence enables a rapid operational response to be put in place where circumstances so warrant.

One of the roles assigned to the Defence Forces is the provision of aid to the civil power, meaning in practice to assist the Garda Síochána when requested. The various components of the Defence Forces are active in this regard, providing such assistance as is appropriate in specific circumstances. Emergency plans and procedures are updated as necessary. Such additional equipment as is needed is acquired on the basis of identified priorities. Training and preparation for such events is also provided for in the Defence Forces annual training plan.

The most important defence against any attack is, of course, vigilance, detection and prevention by the security forces. All the necessary resources of the Garda Síochána and the Defence Forces are deployed to this end. The total expended on military intelligence is not separately compiled, and it is not considered appropriate to disclose such information.

The European Union's counter-terrorism efforts are centred around implementation of the EU strategy and action plan on counter-terrorism, which also includes a strategy and action plan on radicalisation and recruitment in respect of extremist groups. Ireland, at both ministerial and official level, including in particular the Garda Síochána acting as our national security service, actively contributes to the implementation of these strategies and plans.

The Minister for Defence, as chairman of the Government task force on emergency planning, presents an annual report to the Government on emergency planning issues. This report provides a summary of the main emergency planning issues that have arisen during the year and provides an analysis of each Department's progress across a range of emergency planning areas.

The office of emergency planning was established following a Government decision in October 2001 as a joint civil-military office within the Department of Defence. The office provides a key support role to the Government task force on emergency planning. It is responsible for the co-ordination and oversight of emergency planning. The office works with Departments and other key public authorities to ensure the best possible use of resources and compatibility across different emergency planning requirements and to oversee Government emergency planning in general.

In 2006, as part of its oversight role, the office of emergency planning met with 14 Government Departments. Each of these Departments has assured the office that it is addressing its emergency planning responsibilities and has the appropriate plans and response arrangements in place to address large-scale emergencies. At all times the lead responsibility for specific emergency planning functions remains with the relevant Government Departments. When an emergency occurs, the appropriate emergency plan is set into operation with the relevant Department taking the lead in its implementation. The approach continues to be that such responses must be characterised by effective management of all aspects of emergency planning and by a high level of public confidence in all the response arrangements. The Minister for Defence is satisfied that the current legislative and funding arrangements are adequate to meet our emergency planning needs. However, the position is being kept under constant review.

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