Nicky McFadden (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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924. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government if he will provide a timeframe for the roll out of a new computer aided mobilisation project system for handling fire service emergency calls; the way the system will improve the fire service's call-taking and mobilisation service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37912/13]

Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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CAMP ( Computer Aided Mobilisation Project ) is the fire service’s 999/ 112 emergency call-taking service for the public. It is a nation-wide system, based in three regional communication centres in Dublin, Limerick and Castlebar. The system supports the operators in dealing with 999 / 112 calls for fire service assistance from the public, identifying their location and mobilising the appropriate initial response. The three regional communications centre s maintain radio communications with the responding fire service and also have a co-ordinating role in major emergencies. The regional communication centre s also gather, collate and make available detailed statistical information for fire authorities. The primary benefit of the CAMP Project has been its provision of modern, consistent, quality-assured call-handling approach. It was an early example of a successful ‘shared services’ initiative.

The first generation communications and mobilisation system has served the public well over the last 20 years . However, it is clear that, with its analogue- based radio system , it is nearing the end of its life cycle. Requirements for additional functionality e.g. mobile data, location services, officer paging have also emerged as drivers for change .

CAMP – The Next Generation policy document was prepared by my Department’s National Directorate for Fire and Emergency Management. It sets out a policy of moving from three separate region-based communication systems to a single national system with distributed nodes at the current three CAMP centres. The three centres will be interconnected and capable of despatching, monitoring and supporting each other . It is intended to use the new National Digital Radio Service (TETRA) now being used by other emergency services as the main communications system, bringing fire services in line with other emergency services. This will provide the opportunity to achieve an improved, more resilient service for the public . In a distributed national system one control centre can mobilise the fire fighting resources of another control centre so that, if necessary, calls can be routed to available operators at other centres.

The transition from three separate regional communications centres to a single distributed system, using the National Digital Radio System will involve five key work packages with overlapping timelines. Necessary preparatory work is currently underway and migration will be carried out progressively in the period 2014 to 2016 , subject to the availability of finance for necessary capital expenditure.