Maeve O'Connell (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael)
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375. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government to report on the work of the Government Task Force on Emergency Planning, particularly in regard to planning the response to future harsh weather conditions. [31777/25]

James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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Local authorities are designated as the lead agency responsible for coordinating a response to severe weather emergencies. Each local authority has a severe weather plan in place. Local authority Severe Weather Assessment Teams monitor Met Éireann’s weather advisories and warnings, activating the necessary coordination structures, when required.

My Department is designated as the Lead Government Department responsible for coordinating a 'whole-of-Government' response to high impact severe weather emergencies under the Strategic Emergency Management Framework (SEM), supporting the local authority response.

In this role, the National Directorate for Fire & Emergency Management (NDFEM), a section of my Department, works closely with all local authorities in preparation for and response to severe weather emergencies.

Following from the response to Storm Éowyn, the NDFEM is undertaking a review of the National Emergency Coordination Group’s response to this event, as per its obligation under the SEM. Once completed, the findings and recommendations of this report will be presented to the Government Task Force on Emergency Planning.

In addition, the NDFEM will hold a pre-winter briefing in September with all principal response agencies, Government departments, agencies and utilities, in advance of the oncoming winter season, familiarising all relevant organisations with the processes involved in the activation of the National Emergency Co-ordination Group. The Department of Defence's Office of Emergency Planning plays a lead role in respect of Government's response to major emergency management generally, with severe weather events being just one of a range of emergencies included.