Séamus Healy (Tipperary South, Workers and Unemployed Action Group) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the opportunity to speak on the Civil Defence Bill 2012. The Bill seeks to repeal the Civil Defence Board Act 2002, dissolve the Civil Defence Board and transfer the functions and responsibilities of the board back to the Department of Defence.

Civil defence is important for the country, in particular for local communities. The origins of civil defence go back a long way. Much of the legal basis for the Civil Defence service is founded on the Air-Raid Precautions Acts 1939-46. The legislation, together with the Local Government Acts 1941-76 continues to form the main legal basis for the Civil Defence.

The precursor organisation to the Civil Defence was the air raid protection organisation, which obviously dated to the Second World War and had a particular responsibility in those times. Today’s service has developed and grown and is now an experienced, active and efficient emergency response organisation supporting front-line emergency organisations and local communities. The Civil Defence organisation itself was founded in 1950 and now has approximately 6,400 volunteers, approximately 4,500 of whom are active on a regular basis. It provides a professional support to the front-line emergency services and support to local communities. Some of the activities in which they are involved include the support of communities in the event of severe weather conditions such as flooding, snowfalls and various emergencies, in addition to the organisation and stewarding of public events. The Minister of State referred to a search for a missing person in Wexford. I was involved with the Civil Defence in a search for a missing person in the Clonmel area recently. The Civil Defence provides a range of local services on a voluntary basis.

It would be remiss of us if we did not extend our thanks and appreciation to the organisation and the individual members and volunteers for the wonderful work they do on a regular basis in all of our communities. The fact that it is a volunteer organisation is something that is part of the Irish ethos. I refer to the old saying: Ar scáth a chéile a mhaireann na daoine. That is the ethos of Civil Defence and the entire volunteer structure in this country. In the past two and a half years Volunteer Ireland and local volunteer centres have registered more than 34,000 volunteers and 4,173 volunteer organisations who have contributed in excess of 1 million hours of their time to local communities.

My first contact with Civil Defence came when I was a young clerical officer in South Tipperary County Council. My staff officer at the time was a man called Eddie Bergin, who was also the Civil Defence officer for the county. He did tremendous work and put the organisation on a sound footing, not just during his tenure but for the future. He was followed by other committed individuals such as Sean O’Dwyer and Eddie Cooney. The local Civil Defence officer in south Tipperary today is Dolores Fahey and she does tremendous work in the county.

I hope the Minister of State can assure us that the changes being made in the Bill will not in any way impact negatively on the work of the Civil Defence in communities. I welcome what the Minister of State outlined in his speech. “I wish to put on record for the avoidance of doubt that the Bill will not alter the fundamental structures that have served the Civil Defence well over many years and supported the voluntary ethos that has been the hallmark of the organisation since its foundation.” I take the Minister of State at his word and hope that also means the organisation will be properly resourced and funded in the future. Civil Defence has done considerable work in communities and deserves the support of all Members. I hope that the views of those involved in the Civil Defence Officers Association and volunteers on the Bill will be taken into account. I hope also that the forum to which the Minister of State referred, which will be set up when the Bill is passed, will be put on a statutory footing in order that all stakeholders will have a voice and will be heard on matters concerning the organisation and Civil Defence activities in the future.

The core issue of members' involvement and the future involvement of the forum or any other structure is vitally important.

I refer to the situation in south Tipperary. The Minister recently indicated that moneys would be available and also that he supported the building of a Garda station in Kickham Barracks in Clonmel. I welcome that commitment and hope moneys will be provided in the budget to progress it. Given that the functions of the Civil Defence board are now returning to his Department, will the Minister consider locating the organisation in that complex? It would be an excellent centre, not just for Civil Defence and the Garda Síochána, but also for all emergency organisations. I know Civil Defence would wish to be involved, as it hopes to be located on the Kickham Barracks site. I ask the Minister to look at this suggestion to see if it would be feasible.

I look forward to the Bill progressing through the House, with particular regard to the forum and the involvement of stakeholders, and hope there will be a statutory framework through which their views can be sought and given.

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