Jim O'Keeffe (Cork South West, Fine Gael)
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Question 511: To ask the Minister for Defence the number of members of the Civil Defence throughout the State; the details of their role; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5045/05]

Willie O'Dea (Limerick East, Fianna Fail)
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There are about 6,000 members of the Civil Defence organisation throughout the State at present. Civil Defence celebrated the 50th anniversary of its foundation in 2000 and over that period the primary role of the organisation has changed considerably from that of providing a civil response to potential hazards which might arise in a war situation to one of assisting the primary emergency services and providing community support.

The Government White Paper on Defence, published in February 2000, set out the broad policy framework for the future of Civil Defence as that of continuing to develop its capacity to respond to emergencies as a high quality, second line emergency service in support of the primary services and to facilitate community support activities while preserving the voluntary nature and ethos of the organisation. As part of the implementation of that policy the Civil Defence Act 2002 was enacted and, by means of an order under that Act, the then Minister for Defence established the inaugural Civil Defence Board in 2003. The board is comprised of the main stakeholders in the wider civil protection community and by virtue of the Act has taken over the day-to-day management and development of the Civil Defence organisation at national level from my Department. I expect the board to continue to develop and enhance the role of the Civil Defence organisation in accordance with the broad parameters as set out in the White Paper and with the provisions of the Act and I look forward to working with the board in the implementation of its development plans in that regard. As Minister for Defence, I retain overall responsibility for the policy and the funding of Civil Defence.