Ivor Callely (Dublin North Central, Fianna Fail)
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Question 221: To ask the Minister for Defence the progress of the Government task force on major emergency planning; the issues that have arisen from training and trials; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38259/06]

Willie O'Dea (Limerick East, Fianna Fail)
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The Government Task Force on Emergency Planning continues to meet on a regular basis. The next meeting will be the 50th Task Force meeting since it was established in 2001. The Task Force promotes coordination of emergency planning across departments.

As chairman of the Government Task Force on Emergency Planning, I have continually stressed the importance that I attach to departments and key public authorities having structured exercise programmes in place. I believe that the development of these programmes is essential in order to refine and develop the arrangements that exist, to continuously improve them through review and revision, and to generally provide the basis for an increased confidence in the emergency planning process.

Many significant lessons are learned from the wide range of exercises, which are conducted on an ongoing basis. These include: the need for proper debriefings and a structured lessons learned process, the need to manage the provision of information to the public and the media, and the need to keep plans up-to-date. Also, regular exercises prove hugely important in identifying gaps and weaknesses and clarifying issues in relation to roles and responsibilities for responding to a particular emergency situation.