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

In the first instance, the national emergency co-ordination group has been meeting in response to the severe weather situation. I thank the Deputy for raising the issue. We are experiencing a period of extremely cold weather. It has settled over Ireland, with severe frost, freezing fog, ice, wintry showers and the fall of snow. The national directorate for fire and emergency management crisis management team has been meeting daily since Friday, 2 December, liaising closely with Met Éireann, and the national emergency co-ordination group was convened and has been meeting daily since Sunday to assess the national and local preparedness in light of the forecast prolonged period of extreme cold weather. The group will continue to meet for the duration of this weather event.

The Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Deputy Darragh O'Brien, who is sitting here beside me, was at that meeting on Sunday. He is wide awake and was wide awake throughout the weekend in respect of this issue. In particular, he met representatives of the Dublin Airport Authority, DAA. Issues with the DAA that the Deputy raised do need to be followed through with the authority. We need to make sure that capacity exists within the Dublin Airport Authority in terms of de-icing and preparing for extreme weather events to make sure that key connectivity through aviation is maintained. State agencies are established by law, they are resourced and people are appointed to senior positions. There is an obligation on the agencies to be prepared and respond to situations such as this. That said, Dublin Airport is not the only airport that has had challenges through this period. Manchester Airport has had challenges and Heathrow Airport has had significant challenges, some of which have spilled over to Dublin Airport.

More broadly across the transport sector, the local authority severe weather assessment teams are monitoring the situation and co-ordinating responses. Winter plans are now in operation. Widespread gritting has happened and will continue. Transport Infrastructure Ireland is also involved. Sufficient salt is available across the country to facilitate work particularly on our more dangerous minor roads. We urge the public to be very careful when travelling on our roads in these dangerous times. Transport Infrastructure Ireland has taken significant measures well in advance to ensure adequate stores of salt for the season - approximately 200,000 tonnes. It has a framework available to deal with anything worse.

On the homeless situation, local authority outreach teams are continuing to engage with rough sleepers and are encouraging them to avail of indoor shelter. Regarding schools, there has been constant co-ordination between the group and our education system.

I reassure the Deputy that the Minister, Deputy Eamon Ryan, is not asleep at the wheel.

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