Brian Stanley (Laois-Offaly, Sinn Fein)
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To ask the Minister for Defence if his Department works with local authorities in the delivery of services; and if so, the details of same. [42559/12]

Brian Stanley (Laois-Offaly, Sinn Fein)
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To ask the Minister for Defence if his Department engage with local authorities in the provision of services and if so the details of same. [42580/12]

Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 192 and 193 together.

My Department and the Defence Forces engages and works with local authorities in a number of areas, primarily in the area of emergency response.

Whilst the Defence Forces are not a Principal Response Agency, as defined in the Framework for Major Emergency Management, they provide assistance in an Aid to the Civil Authority (ATCA) role under the multi-agency Framework. Representation on the Government Task Force on Emergency Planning, by both my Department and the Defence Forces, ensures the fullest coordination and cooperation with the local authorities in the event of an emergency.

All assets, resources and capabilities of the Defence Forces throughout the country are made available to assist the local authorities when called upon. This has been evident in past flooding and severe weather emergencies when services from the Defence Forces have been requested by various local authorities.

The Defence Forces also supply fire fighting support to the local authorities in the event of forest and gorse fires when resources at local level prove insufficient.

My Department provides an annual Grant-in-Aid to the Civil Defence Board to enable the Board to support the delivery of Civil Defence services at local level through the local authorities. In 2012, this grant amounted to €5.585m. and a large proportion of this is distributed to local authorities in the form of grants, vehicles, personal protective equipment, and equipment for use in rescue and flood relief situations.