Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 93: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources his views on introducing an emergency alert system, using mobile phone mast infrastructure, to allow for direct contact to be made with the public on a targeted regional basis in response to emergencies in order to improve direct communication between the national emergency centre and the public; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3894/10]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin South, Green Party)
Link to this: Individually | In context

The possibility of using the mobile phone infrastructure to broadcast messages to the public in the event of an emergency has been considered by my Department. Initial discussions with the industry indicate that this is not a simple task and that the infrastructure is not designed to broadcast short message service messages simultaneously to all users of the mobile phone network. It is proposed to have further engagement with industry to explore these technical limitations and to examine the feasibility of how messages can be delivered to the public during emergencies using mobile phone infrastructure.

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

The Minister may see this as a slightly unusual question because it is quite general in terms of what it requests, but the Minister, Deputy Ryan, has responsibility for communications. He will agree that the technical infrastructure now exists for the Government to provide a communications channel in the case of emergencies directly from Government and the emergency infrastructure which it controls to the public. I come from a city which has been devastated by flooding in the past three or four months. Elderly people woke up with floodwaters lapping against their mattresses in their houses and had to be pulled out of windows by relatives or rescued by the emergency services. We can no longer allow a situation to occur whereby, when we have warning that floods are on the way, we do not use the technology which is available to warn people of what will happen.

I ask the Minister to work with me, if necessary, or the industry to ensure the emergency services directly linked to Government have the capacity to use the mobile phone infrastructure currently in place in the country to contact people via their mobile phones in the case of emergency. It should also require the private sector which owns the infrastructure to provide it to Government for use in the case of an emergency such as flooding or some other type of emergency so we can contact people. For every 100 people in Ireland there are 117 mobile phones. Practically every person or household has a mobile phone. It is the obvious way to contact and alert people to warn them about emergencies. Will the Minister put that type of system in place? It is directly connected to his area of responsibility.

Eamon Ryan (Dublin South, Green Party)
Link to this: Individually | In context

The emergency task force which was convened recently did exactly that. It was related to the water issue, where there was a real crisis in terms of the loss of water due to people leaving taps running and so on. It was on that basis the emergency task force went to the mobile phone companies and asked if it was possible for it to use the communications technology in that way. There were difficulties, as is the case when 4.5 million or 5 million messages need to be sent, which have to be considered. In that instance it was not used. It was felt that radio and television broadcasting communications systems could deliver the message. There may be other circumstances. The one to which the Deputy referred is a good example of where it may be possible for us on an emergency service basis to provide instant messaging in such a way. The Department is engaged and will liaise with the Deputy in that regard to see what specific measures will work.

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

I am trying to be helpful because this is not an issue on which we should be political. I have two proposals, both of which are highly credible, on how we can use the existing mobile phone mast infrastructure to alert people in regional specific areas. Nobody is suggesting that if there is going to be significant flooding in Cork that 4 million people get a text message to say that a mini tsumani is coming down the River Lee from Inniscarra into Cork city. What we are suggesting is that we should be sophisticated enough, because the technology exists, to be able to use the mobile telephone masts in the Cork city area to contact people who will be directly affected by, for example, floods. If Bandon is going to be flooded on Tuesday, given that we have the data from the rivers that flow into that town and from the weather forecast expertise, we should use the mobile telephone mast infrastructure in that area in west Cork to send a message to that specific region to let those concerned know what is going to happen and when it is likely to happen in order that businesses and homes can prepare for it. It is inexcusable that we would not use the technology that is available to ensure that the kind of ill-prepared response to flood crises that happened in places such as Cork and elsewhere would not happen again and it certainly should not happen without warning.

Eamon Ryan (Dublin South, Green Party)
Link to this: Individually | In context

I agree with the Deputy. As I have said those engagements have already started with the mobile telephone companies. They will continue and will take into account the suggestion he has made. It is more applicable in areas where there are short timelines in terms of a flood warning or other such emergency. We will continue to progress the issue with the mobile telephone companies.