asked the Minister for Defence whether (a) any provision has been made for national civil defence and air-raid precautions in the event of an emergency; (b) whether any national or local schemes for civil defence and air-raid precautions have been prepared since 1947; and (c) whether any provisions have been made for providing and organising civil defence personnel in the event of their being required.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Civil Defence.
Major de Valera
Major de Valera
asked the Minister for Defence (a) whether any provisions have been made by any local authorities for civil defence within their areas in the event of an emergency; (b) whether any directives or instructions have been issued from his Department for their guidance in the matter; (c) whether any arrangements for joint action by them with the Department in such event have been made; and, if so, what arrangements.
Major de Valera
asked the Minister for Defence whether any steps have been taken to provide, in the event of an emergency, for civil defence in the city of Dublin; and, if so, what steps.
Major de Valera
asked the Minister for Defence whether any plans exist for the provision of emergency medical and health services (including evacuation of the sick and injured; the provision of emergency hospitals, dressing stations and medical supplies; the coordination of existing facilities and services with emergency services and the Red Cross, St. John Ambulance Brigade and Knights of Malta organisations).
With the permission of the Ceann Comhairle I propose to take Questions Nos. 64, 65, 66, 67 together.
The Department of Defence has decided on civil defence proposals which can be rapidly implemented. Officers of the Department will shortly proceed on courses of training at civil defence schools in England. A.R.P. fire pumps which had been obtained by the Department of Defence are being maintained. A certain amount of equipment for a rescue service which had been acquired by local authorities is being maintained by them as is a quantity of protective equipment supplied to them by the Department of Defence.
I am seeing the chairman of the Red Cross Society and the city and county managers on the subject of immediate problems.
Major de Valera
Can the Minister indicate how many personnel he is sending on the courses of the Department?
I do not want to be pinned to the exact number, but I think the number of vacancies allocated to the course, starting next month, is six.
Major de Valera
For the whole country?
The people we are sending abroad at the moment will in turn act as instructors for people inside this country.
Major de Valera
Have arrangements been made for the organising and training of classes in this country?
Arrangements are under way for these instructors, when they return, to relay their knowledge to classes.
Major de Valera
Could the Minister indicate, even approximately, when it will be possible to start the training of instructors for this country?
Again, I do not want to be pinned to a particular date, but we aim at embarking on such instruction in the second or third week of February.