Paul McGrath (Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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Question 41: To ask the Minister for Defence the number of Departments or agencies with responsibility for emergency planning; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7191/06]

Willie O'Dea (Limerick East, Fianna Fail)
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The office of emergency planning was established in my Department to promote the co-ordination of emergency planning functions across all Departments and other key public authorities and to oversee the emergency planning process in general.

In pursuing these objectives, I chair the Government task force on emergency planning, which comprises those Ministers as well as, or instead of, those senior officials of Departments and public authorities which make a key contribution to the emergency planning process.

It is the top-level structure giving policy and direction and which co-ordinates and oversees the emergency planning activities of Departments and public authorities. It promotes the best possible use of resources and compatibility between different planning requirements.

An interdepartmental working group on emergency planning comprises officials representing Departments and public authorities with lead or principal support roles in Government emergency plans. The task force charges this working group with carrying out specific studies and developing particular aspects of emergency planning. The working group is the vehicle through which expertise is shared between Departments and public authorities on emergency planning. The working group continues to address emergency planning matters to reduce the potential impacts of emergencies on this State.

The office of emergency planning supports my Department's emergency planning objective and the Government task force on emergency planning. The office chairs the interdepartmental working group on emergency planning. The lead responsibility for specific emergency planning functions remains with the relevant Departments.

Emergency plans are co-ordinated by the various lead Departments at a national level and through the local authorities, including the fire service, the Health Service Executive and the Garda divisions at local and regional levels. Among the roles assigned to the Defence Forces are: the provision of aid to the civil power, meaning in practice to assist, when requested, the Garda Síochána; and assistance to other civil authorities. The various components of the Defence Forces are active in this regard, providing such assistance as is appropriate in specific circumstances. These plans and arrangements are kept under constant review.

The Departments and key public authorities involved have particular responsibilities under a number of strategic areas of Government emergency planning and regularly report on developments and progress at meetings of the task force. The objective of the Government is to ensure that all State bodies can react quickly and efficiently to any large-scale emergency. As chairman of the task force, my approach continues to be that responses must be characterised by effective management of all aspects of emergency planning and by a high level of public confidence in all the response arrangements. Review and refinement arrangements will ensure co-ordination of all those responding so that, should we be unfortunate enough to experience a large-scale emergency, we will be in a position to mount a credible response.