Willie O'Dea (Limerick East, Fianna Fail)

In 2008 I submitted a document to Government, which is available to all Departments, which indicated a wide range of potential emergencies such as severe flooding, oil spillages and terrorist attacks. I outlined the lead Department in each case. As things stand, it is up to the lead Department to initiate a meeting of the emergency response committee. Perhaps that has to change. Lessons are always learned from every situation. The Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, which is the lead Department in this case, is preparing a document on the lessons it has learned and what can be done better in future. I will also be asking the emergency response committee to examine the matter. We all learn from experience.

See this speech in context