Frank Feighan (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister of State for introducing the Bill, which is in line with the current policy to bring the functions of many State agencies back within their parent Departments. The Bill makes provision for the dissolution of the Civil Defence Board and the transfer of its functions back to the Department of Defence. The Civil Defence Board is funded from grant aid provided out of the Department of Defence's Vote.

The Civil Defence officers of the relevant local authorities oversee the delivery of Civil Defence functions. These officers are full-time employees of local authorities and are responsible for the day-to-day management of Civil Defence matters. Civil Defence instructors come from all over the country in order to be receive training in a wide variety of areas at Civil Defence headquarters in Rosscrea. The Irish Civil Defence was set up in 1950, to be part of the national defence structure as the necessary civil response to potential hazards which might arise in a war situation. I do not recall the 1950s but I do remember the Cold War and being told that in the event of a nuclear attack, we should huddle under the kitchen table. In such circumstances, prayer would have been our only hope. A few years ago a Minister of State saw to it that iodine tablets were delivered to every home in the country. Such tablets would not have provided much succour in the aftermath of a blast caused by a nuclear missile. It is good that we have emerged from the difficult period of the Cold War.

The Civil Defence is currently split into 32 administrative areas. The Civil Defence Board currently has responsibility for these areas at national level but from now on that responsibility will again reside with the Department. The Civil Defence grew out of the voluntary air raid protection organisation, which had operated during the Second World War. It comprises some 6,000 members, all of whom are volunteers. Many of these individuals work for local authorities and they have made themselves available to deal with very difficult situations such as those caused by flooding.

The duties of Civil Defence include the management of public events, search and rescue, fire-fighting, river rescue, monitoring levels of radiation if necessary and providing assistance to the public during adverse weather events.

Until the move to Roscrea, Ratra House was the home of the Civil Defence from the establishment of the organisation in 1950. The lodge premises in the Phoenix Park was named by the first President of Ireland, Dr. Douglas Hyde, after his home, Ratra House, in Frenchpark, County Roscommon. Deputy Calleary will be familiar with Frenchpark as he passes it every second day. The people of Roscommon are very proud that Douglas Hyde, a great statesman, lived in Ratra House in Frenchpark.

I commend the Civil Defence Board and its committees for their contribution to the ongoing development of civil defence in the past decade. Their proposals have resulted in the development of the Civil Defence into a highly professional, albeit volunteer group. Civil Defence training programmes are well supported at local level. My first encounter with the Civil Defence was the occasion of the visit of Pope John Paul II to Knock in 1979, when the personnel of the Civil Defence, the Defence Forces and the FCA provided security and crowd control. The current level of funding for the Civil Defence will remain at €5.585 million, even in these straitened times, for which I commend the Minister. He acknowledges that the service provides value for money.

I am familiar with the work of the Civil Defence in Roscommon and Leitrim. The personnel are volunteer participants who take great professional pride in their work. I note the Department has upgraded the equipment available to them and the Civil Defence is the equal of similar organisations in other countries. I pay tribute to the men and women who provide the service. The Minister intends to set up a forum of stakeholders to share knowledge and expertise. The legislation will provide the Civil Defence with the ideal platform to develop as a first-class second-line emergency service. The voluntary ethos of the organisation is necessary and is to be welcomed.

The Civil Defence Act 2002 transferred responsibility for the governance of the organisation to the Civil Defence Board. The proposed Bill will not alter the co-operation between the national Civil Defence organisation and the local authorities. It will transfer the functions and responsibilities back to the Department of Defence. The Civil Defence uniforms and badges worn by members are internationally recognisable, showing that the organisation is part of a worldwide network of committed people preparing to serve in their own countries and communities or overseas. There may be a role for overseas involvement by Civil Defence volunteers who could provide assistance in cases of natural disasters. I commend the Bill to the House.

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