Dinny McGinley (Donegal South West, Fine Gael)
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Question 72: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the preparatory action he has taken or the instructions he has given to local authorities in the event of an extreme weather occurrence this winter; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37511/10]

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 72 and 117 together.

The role of my Department during a severe weather event is to ensure that the local authorities are prepared to respond promptly to ameliorate the worst effects in relation to those aspects of an emergency for which they have direct responsibility, and that they act in co-operation with the other principal response agencies – An Garda Síochána and the Health Service Executive - using the Major Emergency Management Framework as appropriate, and with the voluntary agencies and the Defence Forces to limit the effects on individuals whose lives may be put at risk or who may be exposed to serious hardship. When effective emergency plans are in place, the management of the emergency response then falls to the local authorities and the other response agencies.

Under the Framework, the local and/or regional coordination centres may be activated to manage the response to a severe weather event, whether a major emergency is declared or not.

My Department has overseen a development programme involving local authorities and the other principal response agencies to enable them to use the Framework structures effectively to manage the response to emergencies. During the two severe weather events of last winter the coordination and inter-agency arrangements set out in the Framework were implemented at local and regional level, as required by local circumstances.

The National Steering Group on the Framework for Emergency Management, which is chaired by my Department, undertook a review of the operation of the major emergency planning procedures and sought the views of participants in the response on matters which could be improved for future such events. It established that the arrangements set out in the Framework were fit for purpose and operated satisfactorily where used by local authorities (with their partner agencies) to manage the impact of both the flood and severe cold emergencies. However, some suggested changes and further development of operational matters are being implemented in association with the Framework's regional structures.

It has been widely recognised that the local authorities and the other agencies discharged their responsibilities in a commendable way and I have every confidence that they will continue to respond to such events in a like manner.