Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)

I join the Minister in paying tribute to the Civil Defence for its work over the past 48 hours and its daily work throughout the country. It is in the context of the work in which it was involved on Monday night that I am concerned about this legislation, in that the effort in Dublin on Monday night was co-ordinated by Dublin City Council, the local authority. The fact the Civil Defence is currently practically merged with the local authorities ensures its response is more immediate and more locally focused than it might be if it was recentralised into the military side. I am concerned the local knowledge and management that makes the Civil Defence so effective will be lost in the implementation of the new legislation.

I would also like to pay tribute to those members of the Civil Defence who joined in the search for Garda Ciaran Jones, at considerable personal risk. They deserve particular tribute. That was a local search co-ordinated locally. I am concerned we will lose that important local element in this new legislation.

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