asked the Minister for the Environment if he will give details of the major accident plan which is in being to deal with major accidents in the event of their occurring; and if he will outline any specific plans drawn up to deal with specific disasters that could occur such as a train carrying toxic chemicals crashing and releasing such chemicals into the atmosphere or a major motorway or air disaster.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Major Accident Plan.
22.
Following the adoption of a common framework for a co-ordinated response to major emergencies by the Government in 1984, major emergency plans are drawn up by each of the following agencies: the Garda, health boards and local authorities. The relevant local authorities have all drawn up major emergency plans and these set out, inter alia, the functions of the different agencies involved, procedural and other arrangements to ensure effective co-ordination and control both within individual services and on an inter-service basis and details of activation procedures and contact points for the organisations concerned.
The contents of these plans are generic in character and are therefore applicable to all types of major emergency. I understand, however, that an inter-departmental committee operating under the aegis of the Minister for Tourism and Transport has drawn up a special plan arising from the carriage of dangerous substances by rail. This plan, which would normally be activated by Iarnród Éireann, is compatible with the overall emergency planning framework to which I have already referred.
May I ask the Minister of State if he would publish the details of these plans and make them available in the Library of the House so that Members of this House can be assured of the adequacy of the plans?
I will refer that matter to the Minister for Tourism and Transport. He will make all the necessary arrangements.
Will the Minister of State recommend to his colleague that the plans be published and made available to Members of this House so that they can be assured in the event of a major disaster, such as is referred to in Question No. 22, be it a rail, sea, air or motorway disaster, that the plans that are in place will be adequate to deal with the problems which would arise?
All local authorities have the necessary arrangements in train. As the Deputy is aware, his own local authority, Dublin Corporation, have one. That is the position. Therefore, all the necessary arrangements are in train.
A final question, please.
Is the Minister of State saying that each local authority have their own plan or there is a co-ordinated plan applying to each local authority?
Yes, it is a co-ordinated plan drawn up by all the agencies, the Garda Síochána, the fire service and local authorities.
That disposes of questions for today.
Where can any Member of this House or the general public gain access to those plans?
Riar na hOibre, Order of Business.
All the necessary information is available.
Where?
The Deputy should know that.
Where can one get access?
Minister, please. The Taoiseach.
Who has the key to the ball?
The national plan is a national secret.
The Minister of State has not got one.
Order, please. The Taoiseach on the Order of Business.
On a point of order——
Can it not wait until after the Order of Business has been disposed of, Deputy?
It relates to questions.
I will hear the Deputy on the Order of Business.