Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

529. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the way in which his Department responded to the declaration of the status red alert weather warning in relation to its own employees; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47925/17]

Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Firstly, I would like to extend my condolences again to all the families of those who were bereaved as a result of incidents during Storm Ophelia.

In reply to the matters raised by the Deputy’s question relating to my Department, a number of essential staff were required to attend for work during the recent status red alert weather warninggiven the Department of Defence’s role in supporting the national -level response to severe weather events.

Attendance wasinformed by the advice provided by the National Emergency Coordination Group on Severe Weather and was addressed by the Department's Business Continuity Plan.

With regard to the other matters raised by the Deputy’s question, my colleague, the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government, will be addressing these in a separate reply.