Thomas Gould (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein)
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55. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence if his attention has been drawn to an ongoing situation in the south Cork Civil Defence unit regarding treatment of staff and complaints procedures; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28335/20]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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Civil Defence operates as a partnership between the Department of Defence and Local Authorities. As Minister, my Department is responsible for setting down national Civil Defence policy, for funding up to 70% of the cost of Civil Defence services within Local Authorities and for the provision of training for Civil Defence Volunteers.

Local Authorities have overall responsibility for day to day Civil Defence operations within their respective Local Authority. In that context, the key person is the Civil Defence Officer who is a Local Authority employee.

My Department was informed by Cork County Council in February 2019 of a proposal to restructure Civil Defence within Cork County and to move from three units to two units. My Department has supported this proposal by providing additional funding for the appointment of two new Assistant Civil Defence Officers, one in each of the two units.

The Deputy may wish to note that where individual Civil Defence volunteers have complaints or grievances, the Civil Defence Code of Conduct, which is available on www.civildefence.ie, sets out the appropriate processes and procedures for dealing with such complaints or grievances. Implementation of these processes and procedures is undertaken by the relevant Local Authority.