Written answers

Wednesday, 14 March 2012

Department of Justice, Equality and Defence

Emergency Planning

9:00 pm

Photo of Bernard DurkanBernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 156: To ask the Minister for Defence if he is satisfied regarding the chain of command; if the power to activate major emergency services has been sufficiently updated, with particular reference to the actual determination of an emergency and consequent call-out of the rescue services; the extent to which past experience is called upon in this regard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14543/12]

Photo of Alan ShatterAlan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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Emergency planning in this country is based on the 'lead Department' principle. This means that each Department is responsible for assessing the risks, making appropriate plans and leading the response to those emergencies that impact on its areas of responsibility. I am satisfied that the lead Departments have the necessary powers to activate a national-level emergency. In April 2011, the Government Task Force on Emergency Planning approved guidelines for coordinating a national-level emergency/crisis response. The guidelines provide that when a coordinated national-level emergency response is required, the lead Department will request the Office of Emergency Planning to convene a meeting of a National Coordination Group.

The guidelines also include indicative 'triggers' for calling such a meeting. When a National Coordination Group meeting is convened, the National Emergency Coordination Centre is activated and staff from the Office of Emergency Planning (civil and military) manage the Centre on an ongoing basis during the period of the emergency. Also, under the Framework for Major Emergency Management there are clear procedures set out for declaring a major emergency and these have been activated twice in the recent past. A major emergency was declared following the air accident at Cork Airport that occurred in February 2011 and again during the severe flooding that hit Dublin and its environs in October 2011.

Learning lessons from past experience is an important part of emergency planning and management. In 2011, the Office of Emergency Planning requested Dr. Caroline McMullen, Lecturer in Emergency, Crisis and Business Continuity Management at Dublin City University (DCU) Business School to identify how reporting on emergency responses could be strengthened in order to harness opportunities for learning. DCU recommended that a standard template be introduced for reviewing an emergency response based around key areas, including issues on:

· how the additional demands placed on the Department/ Agency during an emergency impacted on its day-to-day activities

· how it fulfilled its emergency management functions

· how it mobilised personnel and resources and

· how it undertook task delegation and communication with the public.

The template was adopted by the Government Task Force on Emergency Planning in April 2011.

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