Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I accept some of the points made. The way to deal with the issue could be more often but not more than every two years. The Minister of State has more confidence in the arms of the State than I do. One can see, for example, how overstretched the Garda is and I do not expect it to be one of the headline issues for it to consider nuclear threats.

In amendment No. 11, I flesh out the various Departments and Ministers that should be consulted. The issue should not be the exclusive preserve of the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government but he is the lead Minister in the context of amendment No. 7. On the one hand we are told that it is a statutorily independent body and, on the other, that appears not to be the case because the consultation must happen in advance of the contingency plan. Could the Minister of State address that particular point on amendment No. 7?

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