Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I propose to take Questions Nos. 13 to 16, inclusive, together.

The purpose of the national risk assessment, NRA, is to identify major strategic risks to Ireland's well-being in consultation with stakeholders. Since it was first published in 2014, the national risk assessment has provided an overview of strategic risks and has drawn attention, at an early stage, to the importance of phenomena such as Brexit, housing shortages and pandemics. The process of preparing the assessment has been designed to ensure wide consultation across the full range of stakeholders. This involves the dissemination of a draft for public consultation and opportunities for stakeholders and Oireachtas Members to contribute to the development of the final version.

The national risk assessment is not intended to replace the detailed risk management and preparedness carried out by Departments and agencies, including by the National Emergency Co-ordination Centre. Rather, it is part of the overall risk management framework and is a tool to assist Departments and agencies to update existing or develop new mitigation plans.

The two years since the NRA was last published in 2019 have been particularly turbulent as a number of major risks have materialised. The Covid-19 pandemic has been the most significant of these, not least in the cost to health and life. Given the impact on resources of the pandemic crisis in 2020, the Department was not in a position to prepare an updated national risk assessment last year. However, work is well advanced on preparing an updated draft version this year, which I hope will be published for consultation shortly.

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