Dan Boyle (Cork South Central, Green Party)
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Question 40: To ask the Minister for Defence when the proposed booklet advising persons on the action to take in the event of specific national emergencies will be produced; the scope of this booklet; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25789/05]

Willie O'Dea (Limerick East, Fianna Fail)
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I consulted my Cabinet colleagues in April 2005 on a draft proposal to conduct a nationwide public information campaign on emergency planning. Following an assessment of the observations I received, I decided to recommend to Government that my Department should proceed with the research stage of the project. This will allow a planned and costed proposal to be put to Government later for such a campaign in 2006.

Similar campaigns have been undertaken across Europe. Research undertaken in the United Kingdom in advance of its public information campaign, launched in July-August 2004, showed that people wanted information about what to do in an emergency and wanted to know what the Government and emergency services are doing to prepare for an emergency.

My Department is currently drafting the scoping requirements and tender for such a research project in consultation with other key Departments. It is envisaged that the analysis of the output from this research phase will be completed quickly and will inform further recommendations to be made to Government on the type and format of such a campaign. I am reluctant to speculate further on the type of recommendations that will result until this work is completed.

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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Question 43: To ask the Minister for Defence if he will report on the July 2005 meeting of the national task force on emergency planning; if he will further report on the assessment made of suspected Islamic terrorist activities in the State; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25787/05]

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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Question 50: To ask the Minister for Defence if he will report on the September 2005 meeting of the Government's working group on emergency planning. [25788/05]

Willie O'Dea (Limerick East, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 43 and 50 together.

The Government task force on emergency planning has worked, since it was set up in 2001, to co-ordinate emergency planning and response arrangements across those Departments that lead and support the State's response in an emergency.

The task force continues to meet on a regular basis, most recently on Tuesday, 20 September 2005. The meeting on Wednesday, 13 July 2005 was convened at particularly short notice as a special meeting in the aftermath of the London bombings.

A focus of the task force continues to be on making the necessary arrangements to respond to the risks from terrorist activities, ensuring that the protection available to the Irish people is maximised, putting mechanisms in place to support the response agencies and providing co-ordination for maximum efficiency and effectiveness.

Potential threats to the State arising from international terrorism are continuously monitored by those involved, principally the Garda Síochána and the Defence Forces. The current advice available to me is that, while the Garda authorities recognise that the terrorist threat to Europe may currently be high, with regard to Ireland it is low.

The awareness that the situation could change rapidly, and with little warning, has ensured that vigilance is maintained. The objective has been, in so far as possible, to confine and control threats before they translate to destructive actions.

Those, principally the Garda Síochána and the Defence Forces, charged with precautionary activities are key to the process. They analyse information to assess potential vulnerabilities and enable those charged with protecting the public to concentrate scarce resources in the most effective way. This assessment work, including that of potential terrorist activities, will continue and must by its nature remain confidential.

Arrangements regarding security issues that may arise are primarily a matter for the Garda Síochána. Emergency planning preparations are designed to ensure that as far as possible the necessary advance planning is in place to deal with the consequences of any incident that may arise.

A critical issue in an emergency situation is the question of issuing adequate and timely warnings and providing the necessary information to the general public on threatened or developing emergency situations.

The EU civil protection mechanism and other international mechanisms provide Ireland with certain warning and alert systems and mechanisms. Television and radio broadcasting will be the key means of contact with the public in such circumstances but all other means of communication will be utilised. International linkages have also been important as a means of sharing expertise and resources. The European Union continues to develop programmes to improve co-operation within the Union, to prevent and limit any consequences of chemical, biological, radiological or nuclear terrorists threats. This was given new impetus by the EU declaration on combating terrorism agreed under the Irish Presidency in 2004, which, among other things, emphasises the benefits of co-operation and co-ordination.

I am pleased to report to this House that there continues to be excellent co-operation between my Department and all other Departments and public authorities on these matters and I continue to report regularly to Government on emergency planning, on a confidential basis.