Seán Fleming (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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135. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government if any requests have been received in his Department to declare or approve an emergency in any local authority area; if he will name such authorities; when the request was received arising from the recent adverse weather conditions and flooding; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7093/14]

Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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Ireland’s Framework for Emergency Management (2006) enables the Principal Response Agencies (Local Authorities, An Garda Síochána and the HSE) to prepare for and make a coordinated response to a variety of major emergencies, including flooding. Local Authorities are the lead agency for coordination purposes at local level.

Under the Framework, Departmental or national-level approval is not required to declare a major emergency at local level. The triggers for such a declaration at local level depend on the nature and scale of the emergency being experienced. National level support can be brought to bear if a Local Major Emergency Management Coordination Group requests any such assistance.

The local authorities which were particularly affected by the severe weather led the coordinated response, with all relevant local agencies and organisations, to the particular conditions in their areas. No local authority declared a major emergency during the recent severe weather, nor was any request made for national assistance.