Emmet Stagg (Kildare North, Labour)
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Question 120: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if he intends to circulate to all households here, the updated information leaflet on national planning for nuclear emergencies. [22444/06]

Joe Costello (Dublin Central, Labour)
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Question 146: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the steps the Government has taken to prepare for the real threat of a nuclear disaster at Sellafield; the role the army has in the Government's plan; the number of times the national emergency committee has met in each of the past five years when the national emergency plan was drawn up; when it was last updated; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17198/06]

Joe Costello (Dublin Central, Labour)
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Question 147: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the steps the Government has taken to prepare for the real threat of a nuclear disaster at Sellafield; the role the Army has in the Government's plan; how often the national emergency committee has met in each of the past five years; when the national emergency plan was drawn up; when it was last updated; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17434/06]

Dick Roche (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 120, 146 and 147 together.

The Irish Government has in place the National Emergency Plan for Nuclear Accidents. The Plan was first drawn up and published in 1992 and the most recent revision took place in December 2005. This Plan is designed to provide the framework for the response to a major emergency at a nuclear installation in the UK or elsewhere if there is a risk that radioactive contamination could reach Ireland. It conforms to the best international standards and practice as established by the International Atomic Energy Agency and is continuously reviewed and updated in the light of technological, scientific and medical advances, although the core messages remain the same.

A major exercise of the Plan takes place every few years in order to test its effectiveness and to enhance emergency preparedness. The most recent exercise, in 2005, called "INEX-3", was carried out under the guidance of the OECD's Nuclear Energy Agency. The particular exercise was mainly concerned with the testing of decision making in relation to agricultural countermeasures and food restrictions following a simulated nuclear accident in the UK. A report on this exercise will be published in due course.

In addition to these major tests, aspects of the Plan are tested on a more frequent basis. For example, communications with the European Commission notification centre are tested daily. Given the continuous review, updating and regular testing of the Plan, and the international assistance that would be available under the International Convention on Assistance in the Case of a Nuclear Accident or Radiological Emergency, I am satisfied that the Plan is robust and that the country is ready to respond effectively to any nuclear accident or emergency.

The Emergency Response Co-ordination Committee met twice in 2001, once in 2002 and there was no meeting in 2003. It met three times in 2004, six times in 2005 and so far in 2006 has met twice. The Department of Defence and the Defence Forces are represented on the Emergency Response Co-ordination Committee under the National Emergency Plan for Nuclear Accidents. The principal roles of the Defence Forces under the Plan include the collection of sea water samples by the Naval Service, the provision of aircraft for such aerial surveys as may be required, the monitoring of radiation levels by the Reserve Defence Forces, and such other assistance as may be required in the implementation of countermeasures.

During May of 2006, my Department printed a revised Information Leaflet entitled Safeguarding Ireland from Nuclear Accidents. This was widely distributed to libraries and Citizen's Information Centres, as well as to the Departments represented on the Emergency Response Co-ordination Committee. This Leaflet is also available on the websites of both my Department and the Radiological Protection Institute of Ireland. The question of wider distribution of the Leaflet directly to individual households is an issue that is being considered under a communications strategy currently being developed under the auspices of the Task Force on Emergency Planning and the Office of Emergency Planning to ensure the public is informed to best effect in relation to emergency planning matters in general.