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Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 25 Oct 2001

Vol. 543 No. 1

Written Answers. - National Emergency Plan.

John Gormley

Question:

18 Mr. Gormley asked the Minister for Health and Children when he will publish details of his emergency plans to deal with biological or chemical emergencies; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25587/01]

At my request a committee under the chairmanship of Professor Bill Hall, Director of the Virus Reference Laboratory, was recently established to prepare an operational plan which would be implemented in the event of a biological attack on this country. The committee agreed that in preparing a plan it will be necessary to identify the level of risk of such an attack and that the plan should reflect the risk identified. The committee considered that as the risk of a primary attack on this country was low a plan should therefore be prepared to cater for a secondary attack.

While work on the detailed plan is progressing a specific protocol to deal with a suspected anthrax attack was prepared, at my request, in light of the recent anthrax attacks in the United States. I launched this protocol on Wednesday, 17 October. Prior to the launch of this protocol I met with members of the committee as well as the gardaí, fire services and Defence Forces. During this meeting the roles of the various bodies were clearly defined and agreed. In addition I spoke with my counterpart in the UK in order to ensure the absolute safety of our plan. He confirmed that the protocol was similar to that in place in the UK.

The protocol was prepared by the expert committee and deals with the procedures to be adopted in the event of a suspected anthrax attack including patient treatment and management, post exposure guidelines etc.

Guidelines for individuals and companies on how to deal with a suspect package believed to contain anthrax are included in the protocol.

The protocol is a work in progress and is being revised on an ongoing basis as a result of feedback to the committee. The protocol and guidelines are available on my Department's web site – www.doh.ie. A copy of the protocol has already been provided to each Member of the House. The protocol was also issued to key services, including the fire service, the Garda, the Defence Forces and the director of public health in each health board.

In relation to treatment in the event of exposure to anthrax the Irish Medicines Board has confirmed that sufficient quantities of the antibiotic Ciprofloxacin have been secured to treat patients in the event of exposure. The IMB have also confirmed that they have been able to source 300,000 doses of smallpox vaccine.

I have arranged for the public health laboratory in Cherry Orchard Hospital to receive both the clinical and environmental samples. The clinical samples will be dealt with in Cherry Orchard while the environmental samples will be forwarded to the UK for analysis. To date, 52 suspect samples returned after analysis by the laboratory at Porton Down in the UK have proved negative. In addition, all individual nasal swabs tested have been confirmed negative.
The committee has met five times to date and is currently drafting a protocol to deal with other category A biological agents.
Lead responsibility for chemical emergency planning rests with my colleague, the Minister for Environment and Local Government. While there is no evidence of any immediate threat of attack from chemical agents, and the public have been reassured on this issue, the need to consider precautions in the event of such a threat has been addressed.
An expert working group, chaired by the Department of the Environment and Local Government, comprising of technical experts from the relevant Departments and agencies – the Departments of Justice, Equality and Law Reform, Health and Children and Defence and their agencies – has prepared a draft protocol for frontline emergency services personnel response to incidents involving actual or suspected chemical agents or devices in Ireland.
The protocol will issue in the coming days from the Department of the Environment and Local Government. While the protocol is primarily designed for frontline emergency services personnel, it will be appropriately published. The advice to the public on steps to be taken if a suspected chemical agent or device is discovered on a premises and on the characteristics of suspicious packages and letters will be widely published.
I would like to take this opportunity to reassure the public that these arrangements are being put in place as a precaution.
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