Damien English (Meath West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I hope the Senator recognises that we do try to do that when we can while respecting all the different jurisdictions, who is in control in different areas and so on. We have had debates here on the marine spatial strategy. Latterly we have also tried to do that on a whole-island basis and engage with our colleagues across the Border as well.

The response to all emergencies is appropriately locally led in the first instance. Local authorities, An Garda Síochána and the Health Service Executive are designated as the principal response agencies. Local authorities are further designated by the framework for major emergency management as lead agency for co-ordinating the local response to severe weather events. The generic response arrangements enabling the three principal response agencies to collaborate are set out in “A Framework for Major Emergency Management” which was published in 2006, together with a range of other guidance documents and protocols. That is something we keep under constant review. Local authorities liaise with the other principal response agencies - the HSE, An Garda Síochána - and, where necessary, activate interagency structures to manage the response and incorporate a range of other agencies as well as communities themselves.

Protocols in place in both this State and Northern Ireland provide guidance on the co-ordination of response and recovery during emergencies. These protocols reflect the required responses to major emergencies in the Republic of Ireland and major incidents in Northern Ireland. While emergencies can have different terminology in both jurisdictions, they effectively recognise the same types of events and incidents. A range of bilateral arrangements are in place between local authorities and relevant agencies on both sides of the Border to cover the response to major emergencies that may occur in Border areas. As the Senator said, the line on the map is not recognised by weather events.

A number of service level agreements and memoranda of understanding are in place with agencies in Northern Ireland by virtue of the work carried out between individual emergency services on both sides of the Border, along an area classed as the Border corridor. These agreements are for task-specific resources, which in the event of an emergency could be activated first.

Fire services in counties along the Border corridor currently have both formal and informal arrangements regarding mutual aid support in emergency response situations. Both jurisdictions provide assistance when requested from their colleagues across the Border. For example, Donegal fire service has a formal memorandum of understanding in place with the Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service covering the response to fires.

The Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government is designated as the lead Department for co-ordinating the response to severe weather. When the local-level response is stretched or when national-level assistance is required, the Department convenes a national emergency co-ordination group, NECG. People have seen that in action during the previous two status-red weather warnings we had in the past 12 months. The NECG co-ordinates the response measures in place and deals with emerging issues. The NECG will arrange for relevant Departments and agencies to liaise with their equivalents in Northern Ireland as required.

The national steering group on major emergency management has approved "Host Nation Support Guidance for the Principal Response Agencies". This document details arrangements that would be required and activated in the event of Ireland requesting international assistance, including in respect of assistance received from Northern Ireland. I hope that brings some clarity to the situation.