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Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 21 Feb 2002

Vol. 549 No. 2

Civil Defence Bill, 2002: Second Stage.

I move: "That the Bill be now read a Second Time."

I am pleased to present this Bill to the House. The Bill provides for the establishment of a dedicated Civil Defence Board, funded by the State, which will be representative of its principal stakeholders involved such as Government Departments, State agencies, county managers, Civil Defence officers and volunteers together with outside expertise.

The purpose of the Bill is twofold. Firstly, its purpose is to update Civil Defence legislation generally. Civil Defence currently operates under the Air Raid Precautions Acts, 1939 and 1946 and a number of emergency powers orders. The various powers conferred by the aforementioned legislation, which was brought about by the climate of uncertainty created during and after the Second World War and later by the Cold War, will remain unaffected by the introduction of this Bill except for two minor provisions of the 1939 Act to which I will refer. This Bill will provide the necessary legislative framework for the future development of the Civil Defence organisation. The creation of such a framework to enhance the development of Civil Defence to the year 2010 and beyond was an important element of the chapter on Civil Defence contained in the Government's White Paper on Defence published in February 2000. I am pleased to say that as the Minister with delegated responsibility for Civil Defence I have honoured the policy commitment to create that framework by introducing this Bill.

Secondly, the Bill will provide for the establishment of a board of management to be known as An Bord Cosanta Sibhialta or, in English, the Civil Defence Board which will, in general, oversee, supervise and co-ordinate the operation and future development of Civil Defence at national level, in co-operation with and in support of all the major emergency services such as the Garda, fire service, ambulance service and coastguard. The board will also advise the Minister on policy issues and will, in effect, carry out all of the non-policy roles relating to Civil Defence that have up to now been carried out with distinction by the Civil Defence branch of the Department of Defence. Political accountability to the Oireachtas for the discharge of its functions by the new board will, of course, remain with me as the Minister responsible.

Civil Defence was originally set up in 1950 to be part of the national defence structure. It was designed to undertake non-combatant activities and measures to afford defence against, mitigate, minimise and forestall the effects on persons and property of an attack on the State or of hazards otherwise arising from war-like weapons, radioactive fallout or biological or chemical warfare and, in particular, includes measures taken under the Air Raid Precautions Act, 1939. Civil Defence currently operates under the Air Raid Precautions Acts of 1939 and 1946, the Local Government Acts of 1941, 1955, 1960, 1963, 1976, and various statutory instruments. The Minister for Defence delegates responsibility for Civil Defence to the Minister of State at the Department of Defence. The Civil Defence branch of the Department of Defence facilitates, through the local authorities, civil defence responses for emergency relief and support to ensure the operation of vital services and the maintenance of public life and to provide other community supports as directed by the Government.

The work of the branch involves inter alia planning, organising, financing, training and equipping the local authorities. The Department of Defence currently pays 70% of the approved Civil Defence expenditure in each local authority area and this arrangement will continue under the new Bill. The Department provides equipment such as vehicles, boating equipment, rescue and other equipment, uniforms and protective items as required to support the provision of various local services. The new board will invigorate the organisation in the planning, recruiting, training and equipment areas.

Each local authority provides Civil Defence services that are administered by a designated officer, the Civil Defence officer, who reports to the county or city manager. There are currently approximately 6,000 volunteer members in the organisation. They are recruited within their local areas and are offered training in various skills such as first aid, rescue, fire fighting, emergency feeding and evacuee care, land and water search and radiation monitoring. Civil Defence provides the community with trained teams who can and do assist in an emergency or support local community events.

With the end of the Cold War, the principal focus of Civil Defence in the 1990s changed to one of community support and emergency response. This was highlighted with the launch in 1992 of the development programme Towards 2000 which was designed to put in place the structures and develop the skills that would enable the organisation to face the future challenges. The aim of the programme was to develop Civil Defence as a top class second-line emergency service within the local community. The Department of Defence introduced an organisational, training, equipment and logistical support programme to facilitate meeting the Towards 2000 objectives.

Civil Defence members are very dedicated and highly committed to the idea of voluntary community service, and I salute them for their work. They are part of a structured and disciplined uniformed organisation under the direction of the local authority Civil Defence officer. A programme of national exercises which are conducted each year provides opportunities for large scale exercising of the members, which helps to broaden and improve skills, and a forum to inject external influence and expertise into the organisation. These exercises provide an opportunity for objective assessment of performance by their instructors or personnel from the primary emergency services. I thank the primary emergency services for their help in this regard.

Equipment purchase and logistical support development have been progressing in accordance with the Towards 2000 programme. A primary focus in recent years has been upgrading the ambulance and transport fleet and completing the radio communications network. These are now to a very high standard and I and the Government are committed to maintaining the equipment at a high standard.

The review that ultimately culminated in the launch of the Towards 2000 programme was aimed at giving the volunteer organisation a current operational role in society, to make it productive and to have a resource available, if required, in wartime. It took account of the fact that planning structures that would emerge for any future national emergency would be different from those originally envisaged for Civil Defence. Any new formation would be based on the framework of the major emergency plan which was being employed to organise the emergency responses of local authorities, the Garda Síochána and health boards. The Civil Defence can take its place along side the other services and this will continue to be the focus for the organisation in the future.

Since 1992, the organisation has been learning to operate in close support of the front-line emergency services and so integrate in a meaningful way into the day-to-day emergency planning structures. This has allowed the Civil Defence organisation to focus on serving the needs of local communities. As I have already said, this trend will be continued and developed under the new legislation, which I introduce today. Generally feedback from stakeholders with regard to Civil Defence is positive and this was confirmed in the consultative process undertaken in the context of the White Paper which demonstrated without doubt the commitment of those involved in Civil Defence. The submissions were very supportive of the progress made under the Towards 2000 programme without forgetting the valuable work undertaken by members over many years.

The Civil Defence volunteer force is maintained at a very modest cost, has a substantial history of working at supporting its local and national community in times of need and has maintained its voluntary ethos even while working side by side with the full and part-time professional services. The voluntary nature of the organisation will be preserved. There is a particular culture and ethos associated with voluntary activity which is widely recognised as being important in community life. This must be nurtured at all levels by continuing to build co-operative relationships with other service organisations but maintaining the distinctiveness of Civil Defence. The volunteer nature of the Civil Defence organisation gives each citizen the opportunity to serve his or her community and it is the public face of the delivery of local authority services at many events.

The progress of the Better Local Government initiative of the Department of the Environment and Local Government highlights the importance of such factors.

Following on from the commitment to create a modern legislative framework that I mentioned earlier and well in advance of the horrific events of 11 September last, I reviewed the operations of Civil Defence and concluded that the best way forward for the further development of Civil Defence into a first class second line emergency service, working in support of the first line services while retaining its focus on community support and most importantly its voluntary ethos, would be by bringing the organisation under the control of a dedicated board of management.

In any organisation geared to emergency response and community support, the quality of the training which the volunteer receives is of paramount importance if that organisation is to flourish and meet the needs of the community while providing the right environment for both developing and retaining the services of qualified volunteers and for attracting new members. Under this Bill, the new Civil Defence board will be empowered to initiate and foster contacts with other Departments and State authorities, external educational and research institutions, both national and international, as well as utilising its own resources to enable it to develop optimum standards for the training of volunteers.

As is common to all voluntary organisations in modern times, recruiting new Civil Defence members and retaining their services has proved difficult for the organisation. There is a wide variety of alternative attractions available to people of all ages, particularly to young people, to which to devote their spare time and, consequently, it is my intention that under this Bill, the Civil Defence board will devote a considerable portion of its energies to recruitment of new members and to retaining the services of existing members.

Section 7 is the pivotal provision as it brings An Bord Cosanta Sibhialta, or the Civil Defence Board, into existence on the establishment day. That day will be appointed by order of the Minister under section 4. Section 8 sets out the many and varied functions of the Civil Defence Board. Of paramount importance is the provision in section 8(h) for the board to advise the Minister for Defence on policy matters relating to civil defence on its own initiative or at the request of the Minister. It is my intention under this Bill that the board, which will be comprised of individuals and representatives dedicated to the future development of the organisation, will carry out its functions in an independent manner outside everyday ministerial or departmental control and will develop its own programmes and initiatives within general policy guidelines as provided in section 8(o).

Among the board's other principal functions are the promotion, development and maintenance of Civil Defence as an effective voluntary service in support of the front line emergency services and in full co-operation with local authorities and with other State authorities and agencies as required. Civil Defence is essentially an emergency response organisation and while the board will be empowered to develop training, educational, planning, operational, and other standards particular to civil defence, this Bill provides for the board to carry out its functions in consultation and in co-operation with the various authorities responsible for the delivery of front line emergency services, particularly local authorities.

A very important function for the new board will be promoting the role of Civil Defence in providing services to the community at local level and in developing programmes to enhance those services. The development of the community support services provided by Civil Defence have evolved since the ending of the Cold War and the threat from the old communist bloc of nations in eastern Europe but were given particular focus by the Towards 2000 development programme for Civil Defence introduced in 1992. They were then copperfastened as part of the policy framework for the future of Civil Defence set out in the White Paper in February of 2000. While Schedule 3 sets out the type of community support programmes to be developed by the board arising from section 8(3), it is not exhaustive in itself and the new board will be able to develop other community support services within the limits of its own resources and in support of the emergency services.

Section 8 (e) provides for the board to develop plans and improve standards of civil defence education, training, knowledge, skill and equipment. These will be vital functions for the board as training, in particular, is the mainstay of any emergency response organisation. To assist it in that regard provision is made in section 8 (i) for the board to conduct and commission research and foster and promote contacts with educational institutions and other bodies engaged in civil defence activities at home and abroad. I am confident that with these provisions in place the new board will be sufficiently equipped to develop the training and skill base of the organisation to a such a level as to provide for the broad and mean ingful development of existing members and also to provide an attractive platform for recruiting new members.

In regard to equipment, I remind Deputies that with the introduction of the White Paper in 2000, the Government underlined its commitment to Civil Defence by providing an additional €635,000 per annum for 2000 and the following years to be spent on equipment and training. I am pleased to say that, in terms of equipment, this additional funding has been spent on protective clothing for volunteers as well as the purchase of more boats and vehicles.

In developing its training and equipment plans the board will, under section 8(e), have to take account of existing and future plans of Government and State agencies whose activities relate to civil defence. In addition to supporting Civil Defence planning at national level, at section 8 (a), provision is made at section 8(j) for the board, in consultation with those Government and State agencies, to contribute to the development of Civil Defence measures internationally which I believe is particularly appropriate in dealing with the consequences of horrific events such as those of 11 September last.

There is provision in section 8(f) for the board to promote public awareness programmes in relation to Civil Defence and I expect that, in addition to providing a valuable service to the public, the new board will utilise this new provision to elevate the profile of the organisation in the public mind. This should prove useful to the board in carrying out the vital functions of recruiting new members to Civil Defence, in conjunction with local authorities, as provided for at section 8(k). A regular intake of new recruits is vital for the vibrancy of any voluntary organisation and I consider this function so important for the future of Civil Defence that I have provided later in the Bill, at section 27(4), for a committee of the board to be constituted specifically for that purpose. To conclude the functions provisions in the Bill I have included the standard provision at section 8(4) to allow for additional connected functions to be conferred on the board by the Minister after consultation, as appropriate.

Section 9 provides for the transfer of two functions of the Minister under the Air Raid Precautions Act, 1939, which I consider pertinent to the effective management of the organisation, to be transferred to the new board. Sections 60 and 61 of the 1939 Act allow for the training of persons and the provision and storage of equipment for civil defence purposes and related matters. In addition, section 9(1)(b) provides for the board to administer any compensation scheme for injury to persons engaged in Civil Defence activities put in place or introduced by the Minister. However, I must recognise that in the modern world in which we now live and taking account of international developments, such as the 11 September scenario, the possibility or probability of a deliberate or accidental disaster of major proportions affecting the nation could necessitate the Minister, with Government approval, having to recall the authority of the board for the duration of such an emergency. I, therefore, propose to introduce an amendment to the Bill on Committee Stage which would allow the Minister, on foot of a Government order declaring that a situation of major or national emergency had arisen, to take over the functions of the board for the duration. I emphasise, however, that this provision could only be exercised on foot of a major disaster and only with the full authority of the Government.

Section 10 deals with the composition of the Civil Defence board which should not comprise more than 12 members. I intend this board to be as focused and efficient as possible in carrying out its functions and, therefore, any more than 12 members could be unwieldy. Consequently, I propose to bring forward an amendment to that effect on Committee Stage.

The director general shall be a full member of the board in order to have a full and meaningful participation in the decision making processes of the organisation. The City and County Managers Association will be represented on the board. It is essential that a body representative of the people with day to day operational control of Civil Defence at local level has an input into all decisions affecting the future development of the organisation. The operational experience gained by managers in overseeing the activities of Civil Defence officers and volunteers in day to day operations assisting local communities, in addition to their expertise at the head of the local authority first line emergency services in their area, will be of invaluable assistance to the new board in its deliberations.

The Bill also provides for up to four persons with external expertise to be members of the new board and assist the board by bringing their broad experience to bear on its work. I envisage these persons to be broadly representative of commercial, industrial and administrative interests countrywide and that they will assist the board with the benefit of their experience gained outside of the normal Civil Service structures. I would see particular relevance for the application of such expertise to developing the concept of strategic planning within the board structure and to providing impetus to developing proposals for the recruitment of new members to the organisation.

It is vital for the Department charged with responsibility for co-ordinating the emergency plans of local authorities and with a supervisory and co-ordinating role in relation to all local authority activities to be represented on the new board. Consequently, the Bill provides for a representative from the Department of the Environment and Local Government, with expertise in emergency planning to be a member of the board. The combination of their strategic experience in emergency planning at departmental and interdepartmental level and hands on experience of dealing with the first-line emergency services of local authorities will be of invaluable assistance to the board in carrying out its functions and in preparing its development plans.

It is important in terms of national emergency planning that the Radiological Protection Institute of Ireland be represented on the new board. With the many threats to our environment now evident, it is important that whatever first line service is charged with combating the particular threat can call on the resources of Civil Defence to support it in its endeavours. Having an EPA representative on the board will be of great assistance in developing strategies to offer support in such circumstances.

The Civil Defence officer, CDO, is the person charged with maintaining and developing the organisation at local authority level. The CDO, who is a full time local authority employee, is the pivotal contact between the local authority and the volunteers on the ground. He or she recruits, trains, equips and manages the many tasks demanded of the Civil Defence in its day-to-day operations. The CDO liaises with the Department on operational and monetary matters and, through the city-county manager, formulates and arranges for the implementation of Civil Defence plans. The Civil Defence Officers Association, CDOA, is a national organisation representative of CDOs and assistant CDOs and liaises with the Department on an ongoing basis on matters affecting its members. I consider it appropriate, therefore, that this organisation should be represented on the board and contribute to the management of the organisation.

I now turn to the most important member of any voluntary organisation, the volunteer. Without its volunteers, the Civil Defence would not and could not exist. It is vital that the voluntary ethos of the organisation is maintained and strengthened by this Bill. I consider it prudent and appropriate that the voice of the volunteer be clearly available on the management board and I have provided for this at section 10(h)(i).

In line with best management practice and with the ethos of partnership I believe it is important that a member of staff is appointed to the board of management. This will provide a balance between staff and management as the board conducts its affairs and develops its strategic objectives. Section 10(4) provides for one member of the board to be designated as chairperson and section 11 contains related standard provisions regarding chairpersons. I also propose to bring forward an amendment on Committee Stage to section 13 and, consequently, Schedule 4 which will provide for a permanent civil servant to be designated as the first director general of the board. The combined efforts of the strategists and administrators in the branch and the instructor and technical personnel in the school have steered the organisation through many difficult situations from assisting with flood relief to combating the effects of foot and mouth disease and they deserve our gratitude for developing it to the stage it is at today. The enthusiasm of personnel in the branch in dealing with volunteer members at the school and on various exercises in all parts of the country was a major factor in sustaining the interest of the volunteers in the Civil Defence. It is important that the impetus of this Civil Service expertise should continue and develop in managing the Civil Defence of the future and that the position of director general will be pivotal in that regard.

Section 14 which provides for the board to engage, as appropriate, outside expertise will be an important provision for the development of strategic planning in the organisation. Funding will obviously be of vital importance and provision is made at section 19 for the Minister to provide that funding by way of grant-in-aid to the board from the Defence Vote. This will replace the payment of grants-in-aid from the Department to local authorities and give the board a wide autonomy in determining the distribution of the funding to the various local authorities. There will be no diminution in the funding being made available to the board as compared to the level of funding made available heretofore. As I pointed out earlier the Government is committed to additional funding for Civil Defence. The grant-in-aid will also provide for funding the salary and related costs for the staff of the board.

Sections 21 and 22 contain standard provisions for dealing with gifts and for the accounts of the board to be prepared as appropriate and submitted to the Comptroller and Auditor General and for the audited accounts to be laid before each House of the Oireachtas. In light of ongoing discussions between officials of the Department and the Department of Finance, I may propose an amendment on Committee Stage to delete the provisions contained in sections 23 and 24 of the Bill regarding the accountability of the Secretary General to the Committee of Public Accounts and other Oireachtas committees as the obligations contained therein are sufficiently provided for in the Public Service Management Act, 1997 and other legislation.

Provision is made in section 25 for the board to make an annual report and other reports to the Minister as he-she may require or as the board may think fit. Section 26 provides for the Minister to give a direction to the board to use, provide or lend equipment as appropriate should the Minister consider it necessary to alleviate a particular situation. Section 27 provides for the board to establish committees of the board, in particular four named committees, to carry out the its work. I have already mentioned the recruitment committee and, for strategic development, the planning and development committee will be vital. However, in so far as the volunteers are concerned the education and training and health, safety and procurement committees will be of most relevance to them.

I have already mentioned the importance of training to the Civil Defence but in executing the training and delivering Civil Defence services, the health and safety of the volunteers and staff and their confidence in the equipment they use is of paramount importance if the organisation is to be sustained. Section 29 provides for the board to submit a strategic plan to the Minister setting out its key objectives and strategies to be reviewed every three years. Section 30 provides for each local authority to submit a Civil Defence plan to the board setting out its key objectives and strategies and these plans are intended to form the basis for the board to submit its plan to the Minister under section 29. I am confident that this process of strategic planning and the implementation of these plans will permeate throughout the organisation from management down to the newest recruit, lead to a sense of empowerment at local level and give renewed focus to the overall development of Civil Defence.

I am providing at sections 33 and 34 for the board to develop its policy for formalising the recruitment and registration process for Civil Defence members. With regard to section 35 and the staffing provisions in the Bill, I have considered this matter further in order to ensure developmental and career opportunities for staff of the board and to allow for a source of new blood. I am also considering introducing an amendment to establish a chief Civil Defence officer who will be a uniformed member.

Schedule 1 to the Bill provides for the definition of Civil Defence to be identical to that already contained in the Geneva Conventions (Amendment) Act, 1998 which gives a broad and internationally recognised definition of the tasks in which the Civil Defence can be involved and, more importantly, allows sufficient scope for the board to develop the organisation into the future.

I am happy to have had the opportunity to shape and advance the statutory framework for the future development of the Civil Defence. The Bill represents a landmark development in that regard, being the first piece of Civil Defence legislation in over 50 years and I look forward to hearing Deputies' views.

I commend the Bill to the House.

I wish to share my time with Deputy Ulick Burke.

Is that agreed? Agreed.

The Civil Defence is an organisation of which we see a great deal but know little about. In many respects, its members are unsung heroes whom we take for granted. Despite very small support and funding, somewhere in the region of €5 million last year, the Civil Defence provides excellent value for money. Whether during flood time or the local county show, the many volunteers who make up the force are to be found giving of their time to assist others.

The Civil Defence was set up in 1950 as part of the national defence structure and as a necessary civil response to potential hazards which might arise in a war situation. It was to operate in a non-combatant role and was afforded partial defence against the effects on persons and property of an attack on the State or other hazards that might arise in a time of war or emergency such as radioactive fallout or biological or chemical warfare. If we are honest, we will acknowledge that little or nothing has been done for the Civil Defence over the past half a century. The organisation has been placed on the back-burner. In a county like Wicklow, with a population of over 100,000 people, there is but one Civil Defence officer answering directly to the county manager, with responsibility for somewhere in the region of 150 volunteers operating within a budget of circa €80,000, out of which a wage must first be taken.

Many Civil Defence officers rely on local arrangements or the goodwill of the local authority to provide assistance of any description. Morale in many areas has to be low and the miracle is that the organisation has survived it all. The attack of 11 September has given a focus and interest to the group with many new recruits joining. I am aware that in my home county, two new branches have set up in Ballyconnell and Kilcoole in recent months. The Civil Defence operates under legislation that includes the Air-Raid Precautions Acts, 1939 and 1946 and the various local government Acts. The Minister for Defence usually delegates responsibility for the Civil Defence to the Minister of State at the Department of the Taoiseach. I do not know the reason for this or from where that tradition evolved. It is no reflection on the current Minister of State, Deputy Brennan, who I am sure is very able but the Civil Defence should be the responsibility of the Minister for Defence who should be tasked with responsibility for all emergency planning. The Minister should explain on Committee Stage why he is handing that over. After all, he does not have an onerous brief – the post has often been joined with that of Minister for the Marine and Natural Resources. The Minister might take this on and allow the Minister of State, Deputy Brennan, to return to his duties as Government Chief Whip.

The Civil Defence branch of the Department of Defence facilitates, through the local authorities, Civil Defence responses for emergency relief and support, ensures the operation of vital services and provides other community supports as directed by Government. It is responsible for policy development and the direction of the volunteer organisation through the local authorities. It also looks after the training, equipping, administration and financing of Civil Defence. Expenditure incurred by local authorities on this group is grant aided to the extent of 70% by the Department of Defence. The Department fully funds capital equipment but, sadly, the inventory makes for poor reading and the equipment is scarce and outdated.

There are approximately 6,000 members trained in various skills, such as first aid, rescue, fire fighting, land and water search and radiation monitoring. With the end of the Cold War, the principal focus of the 1990s changed to community support and emergency response. This was highlighted with the launch in 1992 of the development programme Towards 2000. This will now be revised and the new board will be able to redefine the aim and focus of the organisation. Despite the many lofty aspirations and aims outlined in various documents and White Papers, these policies have never been followed by the necessary funding.

In the Department of Defence White Paper in 2000, the Government decided that the Civil Defence mission should be to facilitate, through the local authorities, responses for emergency relief and support, to ensure the operation of vital services and the maintenance of public life and to provide other community supports as directed by the Government. A commitment was given to update the legislation and, thus, we have the Civil Defence Bill, 2002, which provides for the establishment of a Civil Defence board to oversee and supervise the development of the organisation in co-operation with the major emergency services. Funding for the board is by way of grant-in-aid from the Defence Vote.

Part II, chapter one, the main kernel of the Bill, deals with the establishment of the Civil Defence board, its functions and membership, including the appointment of a director general. The functions of the board, as outlined in section 8, are very detailed. They mirror the role of Civil Defence but it would give a greater sense of purpose to the organisation if its role was defined in Part I of the Bill. The Minister should examine this on Committee Stage. It is referred to in the Schedule but I ask him to consider putting the definition of Civil Defence in the preamble to the Bill. Many Civil Defence members have said to me that they are unclear as to their role or mission.

Section 10 deals with membership of the board. The absence of a nominee from the Defence Forces is an omission. I cannot argue with the groups nominated, particularly the volunteer sections, but a member of the Defence Forces would bring expertise and act as a valuable link for the board. The Minister may have an explanation for this omission so I would like to hear it. I am in favour of cross-pollination between groups because it can extend the focus and bring skills from different backgrounds.

Do we know where the board will meet? Strangely the Minister is not responsible for Civil Defence but he took the decision to relocate it to Roscrea, a difficult place to get to. I would not like to think the composition of the board will be dictated by geography to ensure attendance.

Section 14 deals with the dreaded consultant. Taking into consideration the role of the Civil Defence, consultants will be queuing to give advice. The board should move slowly and use the knowledge that will be readily available to it through the Civil Defence officers and volunteers, who are experts in many areas.

Sections 15 to 25 deal with membership accountability and ethics. Section 26 deals with equipment, of which the Minister is aware the organisation has a limited pool. Section 27 deals with committees to be established by the board but I cannot see the need for the four committees outlined in the Bill. Perhaps the recruitment and health and safety committees could be amalgamated. Section 29 deals with the strategic planner for the board. Will the Minister assure the House that six months is an adequate timeframe to draw up a plan for a group that has only been established? It may be over ambitious and give rise to a hurried plan. Does the Minister have the power to reject or amend the plan? The Bill states that the Minister may give direction as to what he wants in the plan but can he reject it?

Section 30 deals with the local authority civil defence plan. Again, I am concerned with the nine month timespan. I assume the plan cannot be dealt with until the strategic plan of the board itself has been completed. In effect, the local authority will only have three months to complete its report. The Bill states that from the date of establishment of the board, the local authority must come forward with its own plan within nine months. There is only one civil defence officer in each local authority, who will not be able to draw up his plan until he finds out the plan of the strategic board, which gives him only three months to draw up a plan.

Section 33, which is very prescriptive, deals with the production and upkeep of a register. Such details should be left to the board. Section 34 outlines in detail the procedures for keeping the names, addresses and dates of birth of the members. Again, this should not be in the Bill: it should be left up to the board to draw up such regulations.

The Bill states that the Minister has the authority to retake control of the board in time of crisis. Does that refer to the Minister for Defence or the Minister of State at the Department of the Taoiseach?

Section 13 does not say that the director general must be a permanent civil servant but, according to the Minister's speech, he intends to amend that, and I wonder why. Expertise and fresh thinking from outside the Civil Service could be useful.

Civil Defence has been a neglected element of our Defence Forces and this Bill has been a long time coming. The Minister of State and his staff have put a great deal of work into it and I commend them for that. It is important that the message goes out to the many volunteers who on weekends, at night and in time of emergency turn up for little or no remuneration. The budget for County Wicklow is €80,000 to pay the Civil Defence officer's wages and meagre expenses to the volunteers. They are also poorly equipped. In the wake of 11 September, we should take Civil Defence more seriously and make an effort to recruit more people. A section of Civil Defence falls under the remit of the Department of Public Enterprise. Perhaps it should all fall under the remit of the Minister for Defence as it does not make sense to split it up.

The need for this Bill was accelerated by the tragic events of 11 September and it is important that we have responded. If the Bill reinvigorates the Civil Defence it will have been worthwhile. We can see that the age profile of Civil Defence groups in local areas is largely an older one and for that reason every effort should be put into recruitment. The declining numbers can be attributed to the fact that so many control centre facilities are in a poor condition. In my town, Loughrea, the premises from which the Civil Defence unit operates are dilapidated and isolated. From the exterior they appear to be semi-derelict. The budget increase, from €2 million to €5 million, is most welcome and I hope much of it will be used to upgrade existing facilities.

In County Galway, which the Minister of State knows well, we associate the Civil Defence with specific parts of the region. In areas where there is a tradition of a Civil Defence unit I hope it will remain, but in other areas there is little visible sign of Civil Defence activity. We must target such areas in order to establish a widespread and uniform presence. I hope the Bill will provide the impetus for such an initiative to take place.

Current and past members of the Civil Defence are to be complimented for having generously and voluntarily given of their time over the years. They have played a crucial role in saving lives and providing backup to the emergency services at football and hurling matches and other such events. Were it not for the presence of the Civil Defence members there would be no emergency cover and so we must show our appreciation of their loyal presence and dedication at public events all year round.

With a national membership of 6,000, there is room for large scale recruitment, especially among the younger generation. With proper guidance, young people are only too willing to channel their energy and enthusiasm into positive things such as the Civil Defence. School leavers should be encouraged to join the Civil Defence, even for a short period, thus benefiting from the training, expertise and discipline involved. I am not advocating conscription but such membership should be encouraged through the education system. There is a civic responsibility to join Civil Defence units and enormous potential could be tapped among the young. Once the seed of commitment has been sown it will bear fruit, with young people remaining on to become life-long members.

Nowadays, there are many distractions for young people who are seeking activities such as those provided by service within the Civil Defence. When we see so many tragic instances of young people becoming involved in crime, along with crime victims in their own peer group, we can appreciate the importance of an organisation such as the Civil Defence in channelling young people's energy in a productive way. I hope the Minister will be able to make progress in that regard; it would certainly be rewarding if that were to happen.

The headquarters of the Civil Defence has been decentralised to Roscrea and, thus, the concept of decentralisation, which appeared to have been forgotten by the Government, has been reactivated. Many people were looking forward to decentralisation of various Departments and agencies to rural areas but at least the idea has been renewed in this case. As Government Chief Whip, will the Minister of State enlighten us as to whether this move is the thin end of the wedge? In the coming weeks and months will other decentralisation plans be announced? East Galway should be recognised for some such decentralisation programme. I welcome the courage of the Minister for Defence in acquiring the Civil Defence headquarters for Roscrea. I hope other decentralisation projects will follow rapidly in its wake.

While I welcome the Bill along with the increased budgetary provision, the Minister should draw up an inventory of all Civil Defence facilities and equipment in order to see how the organisation can be modernised. A new image would make the Civil Defence more attractive and could increase its membership. It would also have a greater relevance, although I do not wish to take from the excellent effort, endeavour, and commitment of the existing members. The Bill could provide the impetus for a greater voluntary organisation to emerge in support of other statutory agencies.

Although the Bill is long overdue, I welcome it. It will shock many people to learn that the legislation governing the Civil Defence was enacted during the Second World War – namely, the Air-Raid Precautions Acts, 1939 and 1946. Legislation that is more than 60 years old is hardly sufficient to provide for the exigencies of the modern Civil Defence. The principle underlying the establishment of the Civil Defence board is sound and I welcome the Minister's proposal that the relevant issues will in future be dealt with by the new board instead of his Department. The board will oversee, supervise and co-ordinate the operations and future development of the Civil Defence in co-operation with the emergency services.

Over many decades, the Civil Defence has all too often been taken for granted. As a mainly voluntary body it has shown great devotion to augmenting the work of the Garda Síochána and the emergency services, without remuneration. People around the country are conscious of the presence of Civil Defence units that operate at public events, including football matches, by directing traffic in support of the gardaí and carrying out other duties. How often do we think of the time and voluntary effort its members con tribute for the public good? Not very often, I suspect. It can be a thankless job and, at times, a well nigh invisible one. I congratulate all the members of the Civil Defence in my area of Kildare, as well as the adjacent counties, for the efforts they have made over a long period in attending various public events.

Last Sunday week I watched as the Kildare group searched the River Barrow for a missing person. It used its expertise to ensure that the operation was successful while, at the same time, helping to alleviate the concerns of the local people and members of the family of the deceased. The Civil Defence group in my area is always well prepared and well presented when it participates in shows and parades and I compliment Larry Coughlan and his staff. They do a marvellous job efficiently and without any fuss and they are part of many great occasions in Kildare. People expect to see them at events and know that they will be in safe hands. They undertake logistical duties and are skilled in life saving. They often use their expertise in sad circumstances, as I witnessed last week.

I am pleased that the Civil Defence is to be upgraded and revamped under this Bill and that its members will have a designated board to represent their interests and oversee and co-ordinate their activities. I congratulate the Minister in relation to the constitution of the board. I debated the constitution of the board of the Irish Red Cross Society with the Minister for Defence. The staff of the Red Cross were not represented on the board of the society and the Minister for Defence agreed to put a staff representative on the board. The Civil Defence board will include a staff representative and a voluntary member representative so that Civil Defence members will have access to it. Deputy Timmins asked that a member of staff from the Department of Defence should sit on the board and I support that proposal. I hope the Minister will consider it on Committee Stage or when the constitution of the board is being considered.

The Civil Defence was instituted in 1950 as part of the national defence structure and as a necessary response to potential hazards which might arise in a war situation. In the aftermath of 11 September, that prospect is more likely than it might have been when the Civil Defence was first established. One of the principal functions envisaged for the Civil Defence during the 1950s was to deal with hazards from nuclear, biological or radioactive fallout. At that time people wondered why we needed a Civil Defence organisation, but the events of 11 September changed everything.

I will not go into detail about the Government's somewhat retarded approach to the possibility of fallout from Sellafield, but I wish to stress to the Minister and to the House the importance of the role of the Civil Defence in such an event. I ask if the Civil Defence is being given adequate training and instruction to deal with biological warfare, given the increasing sophistication which bio-terrorists display in their campaigns of violence and terror.

I am aware that all members of the Civil Defence are well trained in various skills such as first aid, rescue, emergency feeding, care of evacuees, land and water search and radiation monitoring. However, it is important the Minister assures the House that the new board to be established under this Bill will ensure, bearing Sellafield in mind, that current and prospective Civil Defence members are fully trained to cope with nuclear fallout and its consequences.

In response to a parliamentary question on this legislation that I tabled to the Minister for Defence last October, he said that under the national plan for nuclear accidents, which is still under review, the role of the Department is to arrange to have an effective civil defence organisation that is trained and in a position to respond to requests for assistance from the Radiological Protection Institute and other emergency services and to monitor radiation levels. I hope the Bill will give the Civil Defence the adequate training and information necessary to do this work.

The trojan work undertaken on a regular basis by Civil Defence was demonstrated by the efforts of the Kerry Mountain Rescue Service which rescued those involved in a tragic accident in the Kerry mountains in early January. As a result of the accident, the Defence Forces lost a great advocate and spokesperson in John Lucey. I offer my deepest sympathies and those of the Labour Party to the Lucey family and to PDFORRA on that terrible loss. Great credit and praise is due to the members of the Kerry Mountain Rescue Service who dealt with that tragedy with great skill and dedication. The incident highlighted the tireless voluntary commitment and time given by civil defence forces such as the mountain rescue service.

Another example of the wonderful work of civil defence forces is river rescue. The Kildare group is to be congratulated on its efforts two weeks ago. My party has called for more support and funding for such organisations. The river rescue group provides a vital service throughout the country. The volunteers involved receive no State funding at present and are forced to rely on fund-raising to keep operational. In this day and age vital bodies such as these should not have to rely on fundraising on street corners. I hope that under chapter one, section 19, which provides for the funding of the board, some consideration will be given to providing the necessary financial resources to river and mountain rescue services. I commend the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform for granting additional funding to the mountain rescue service in Kerry. I hope that a future Government will continue to support groups such as this.

The Civil Defence is maintained at a very modest cost to the State while maintaining a voluntary ethos that is second to none. I hope that on Committee Stage the Minister will elaborate on the details of the funding to be provided to the Civil Defence. I welcome that the definition of the Civil Defence is to be made identical to that already provided in the Geneva Convention (Amendment) Act, 1998. I hope that the Minister will elaborate on the proposal in the Bill that each local authority must provide the Civil Defence board with a three year development plan and include certain information relating to Civil Defence in its annual report. This was mentioned by other speakers.

I am a member of a local authority and I wonder how this report will be determined and whether the chief Civil Defence officer in each local authority will have an input.

I attended a meeting yesterday with my county manager when he referred to a number of relevant reports my local authority must consider. Now another report will be required. It puts major pressure on local authorities, including members and staff. The number of reports required is causing a huge amount of paperwork and I hope the Minister of State will indicate how local authorities are to be expected to deal with this. This provision calls for a report within a six month period, to be reviewed every three years. Many local authorities could not do that, even within five years. While there will be much repetitive work, I doubt if a three year requirement is necessary. Will the Minister of State comment on this and will he confirm if the report has to be passed by local authority members? Counties Kildare, Wicklow, Carlow, Laois, Offaly and Dublin are border counties for the purpose of this provision. How will the different reports be co-ordinated? Despite these reservations, I welcome the provision as it should allow for greater cohesion and co-operation between the Civil Defence and local authorities.

A worrying trend in the Civil Defence is the decline in the number of members in the force and the rise in the age profile. This bodes ill for the future and I hope the trend will be arrested by the establishment of the committees provided for in the Bill. Perhaps four committees will be too many. I see little point in having a committee for recruitment and for training. Unless they are merged the recruitment committee will not be able to monitor the development of recruits. I ask the Minister to reconsider this. How will these committees be constituted? Will they form part of the remit of the Civil Defence group in each area or what part will local authorities play?

There is an urgent need to undertake a recruitment campaign. On many occasions I have urged the Minister for Defence to utilise the education system, even at primary level. The Bill provides for this. The workings of the Civil Defence need to be explained at all education levels. The voluntary sector will only be restored to its former vitality when its work is more widely explained. Last year I attended numerous meetings to mark events celebrating the year of the volunteer. Regrettably, the same faces attended most meet ings. It reminded me of my involvement in the GAA when I surveyed the annual returns from all the clubs in County Kildare. Often there would not even be four new faces. The present generation is not as committed to voluntary work. They can only become interested enough to be involved if the education system is used to explain what the voluntary sector does. The new Civil Defence structures provided for the Bill will help in this regard.

On behalf of the Labour Party I welcome the Bill. It is a necessary measure and I look forward to improving its provisions on Committee and Report Stages. In the meantime I hope the Minster of State will reflect on this debate and introduce proposals to improve the Bill.

(Wexford): I welcome the Bill. It provides us with the opportunity to express our appreciation to those involved in Civil Defence throughout the country. The Minister of State has consulted widely and his efforts reflect the important role the Civil Defence plays.

The Minister of State has worked closely with the Wexford Civil Defence Association and he will be familiar with its concerns about placing the headquarters in Roscrea. The association considers it to be a distant location, especially by comparison with the headquarters at the Phoenix Park, which is closer to the south-east. The association always received a good service from these headquarters.

The Civil Defence was established in 1950 to be part of the national defence structure. It has changed much since then and the fact that we have a modern Civil Defence force is a great credit to those in the 1950s and 1960s who operated under very difficult circumstances, with very little equipment by comparison with what is available today. However, it is becoming increasingly difficult to get people to volunteer and a recruitment drive is essential, although the head of the section in Wexford, Gabrielle Willis, is in charge of a thriving organisation. I recently attended an award function and noted that there was a good mix of younger and older people, including women. It is good to see an organisation with such a mix play an important role in the community.

A board membership of 12 is more than adequate. It will be broadly based, with members taken from industry, commerce and other sections of the community. The modern expertise of business people will be important. The Minister of State stated clearly that people who become a Member of the Oireachtas or a county council must opt off the board. I often wonder about that decision, particularly in relation to county councillors who are very much involved in their communities. A county manager or some bureaucrat from the county council can become a member of a board but the local politician is always excluded. A common feature of every Bill that comes before this House lately is that a decision is taken that a politician cannot become a member of a board. One would think politicians were some kind of monsters who were not capable of making decisions in the interests of their communities, yet they work 16 or 17 hours a day in this House and at national level on behalf of those communities. Will the Minister of State explain the reason politicians have to be excluded from this board and, it would appear, from every board that is appointed, regardless of which Government is in power?

I want to recognise the role of Civil Defence in Wexford which has made a tremendous contribution to the community over many years. Its members are very active in the community and they have won many awards throughout the country. As Deputy Wall said, whether it is a GAA match or any other type of community activity, the Civil Defence is to the fore. From early April up to the end of the year, they were involved in every major function and event in County Wexford, including the tour of the relics of St. Therese. During the foot and mouth disease outbreak, all the operations of the Civil Defence had to cease and its members were very disappointed because they had to miss a number of functions.

The Civil Defence was in attendance on a voluntary basis at the opening of the Dunbrody Famine Ship, the official opening of the Hook lighthouse and the official opening of the new Wexford quayside by the Taoiseach. I sometimes wonder how they find the time to attend these functions. Great credit is due to the employers who allow their employees to take time off work to be involved in these activities. It is important that we continue to encourage employers to be as generous as possible so that their staff can become actively involved in the Civil Defence. The training is excellent, and that is important for young people. It includes discipline training and the way communities work. It also gives them an active role in their communities and a sense of playing their part in helping people.

Deputy Wall referred to the mountain rescue service. Last year there were unfortunate cases of people falling into rivers and the Civil Defence became involved, searching the river banks, working with relatives and generally playing their part. It was comforting to see their activities and those of the Red Cross who also helped out.

The need for a permanent building in Wexford has been a bone of contention there for a long time, and I am aware that Gabrielle Willis has discussed it with the Minister of State on a number of occasions. Some Deputies mentioned earlier that the premises from which the Civil Defence operates do not meet the required standard. That is a difficulty throughout the country. There may not be a need to build new buildings but there is a need to lease modern buildings for the Civil Defence. I am aware that a new premises has been rented in Kent Manufacturing in Wexford and that the Department has paid the leasing costs on the building, which is welcome. If one stop shops are built by local authorities in future, perhaps Civil Defence offices could be part and parcel of them.

Funding of the Civil Defence is currently made up of 70% from the Department and 30% from the local authority. Will the Minister of State consider increasing the funding from the Department in the future, particularly for ambulances and other equipment that is required?

I welcome the fact that a new board will be set up and I hope that will be done as soon as possible so that we can get on with improving the services provided by the Civil Defence. The people are available but we need a new recruitment drive through the schools, industry and commerce to encourage more young people to become involved. The Civil Defence provides a worthwhile service to the community and it is very much appreciated by the community at large.

I am aware the Minister of State wants to come in at 3.25 p.m. and we will accede to that request.

I am almost ashamed to say I have never spoken in a debate on this area in the House. It is not often that the issue of the Civil Defence has come before the House.

Fifty years.

I think of Civil Defence in the same vein as credit unions and other community services which are so important. I want to add my voice to those who congratulated the men and women who make up Civil Defence on the multiplicity of activities in which they are involved.

Civil Defence is like everything that is good: we take it for granted. We never ask about its policies, etc. as long as it is there when we need it. Its members are present wherever people congregate, be it sports events or on occasions of natural disasters, including floods. I have seen them in action in Gort, County Galway over the years and they were magnificent but, strangely, when those calamities pass we forget about the people who helped. That is why I congratulate the Minister on bringing the legislation governing Civil Defence up to present day standards.

On the age profile of members of Civil Defence, some members have told me that once their service comes to an end, there are not a sufficient number of people available to fill their shoes. We are talking about a membership of 6,000, which is huge by any standards. It is important that Civil Defence gets a new image and I hope that will be the effect of what the Minister of State is trying to do. Civil Defence has to be seen for what it is – a community based organisation which exists for a variety of good reasons.

What Civil Defence was called on to do in the past is likely to be entirely different from what it might have to do in the future. I would like to see a core of 6,000, 8,000 or 10,000 highly trained people who could turn their hands to a range of problems and calamities. The acid test of the Minister of State's legislation will be the way the various bodies react to the new situation.

I spent part of my life working in youth organisations and an important element in attracting young people into such organisations is that they believe it is the trendy thing to do. I do not know what young people think of Civil Defence, but there are ways and means of ensuring that it appeals to them. Deputy Wall made some sensible suggestions in his contribution. The message of the ethos and principle behind civil defence should be conveyed to second level schools and third level colleges. If an interest in the Civil Defence were ignited among third level students, that could have a major impact in this area as they will graduate as professionals in a few years. One need only consider the effort many third level students put into their work with groups such as the Samaritans. I know that from the work done by my children as they went through college. They get excited about such matters for a few years. The Civil Defence should be one of these and should get its share of the limelight. A different approach to this matter might also be taken at primary level.

It is easy to make a connection with the Civil Defence in most parishes. I doubt in the course of a year if a single person in County Galway would not see some of the work done by the Civil Defence. They might not know why it was done or who was doing it, but they see the service in action.

I note what is proposed in the Bill in terms of the relationship between the Civil Defence and local authorities. I hope the relationship between Civil Defence units and the county council will be built on a sound foundation. I would like the Minister of State to indicate the nature of employment and amount of remuneration a Civil Defence officer charged with responsibility in this area will be given. A person who takes on such a role, which is an important one, would have a major impact for better or worse on how well the organisation works in a county. The person appointed would need to have great enthusiasm for this type of work and be able to tout for business. That is an important element, given that if an emergency were to arise and we had 6,000 to 10,000 highly trained and motivated people in this organisation, they could make a major difference in saving people's lives.

I commend the Minister of State on what he is doing. I notice that last year the organisation was given an additional cash injection of €635 million. It has been represented to me that there is a major financial deficit in Civil Defence. Much of its equipment is old. It is time the organisation was given a financial boost. More financial resources should be made available to give it the image I would like it to have, but that would involve the expenditure of a fair bit more money.

I take this opportunity to say how much I value what Members had to say on this Bill. What I heard reminds me of the value of the Second Stage debate on legislation. One gets to listen carefully to what is said. Some useful ideas have been put forward, which I will carefully examine to ascertain if they can be accommodated on Committee Stage.

Interesting questions, to which perhaps I had not given sufficient thought, were raised and I will now consider these. Deputy Timmins asked me about the requirement to have a civil servant as director general of the organisation and whether that requirement should be opened up. That is a suggestion I will consider. He also asked about the need to have four committees of the organisation and whether that requirement might be rationalised. I will also closely examine that suggestion. He proposed the inclusion of a military person on the board and I will examine this between now and Committee Stage.

Deputy Ulick Burke, like Deputy Timmins, paid tribute to the work of the members of the Civil Defence and saluted their dedication and commitment, a tribute in which, I am sure, we would all join. He also pointed out the importance of having a recruitment campaign. I specifically included in the Bill a recruitment requirement. We need to ensure there is a gender balance in the organisation. One of the reasons I came up with the idea of appointing a board was to enable it to appoint officers, board members or staff to specifically take on the full-time job of recruiting members through a public relations campaign in a structured way, which the organisation did not have an opportunity to do in the past.

Deputy Wall rightly pointed out that it is 50 years since we legislated for the Civil Defence. Deputy Connaughton made the point that one does not hear the Civil Defence debated in this House often, the reason being that the last legislation on Civil Defence before this House was introduced 50 years ago. It is long past time that we modernised that legislation. Deputy Wall congratulated the volunteers on their work and supported the idea of having a Department of Defence military person on the board, a suggestion which I will examine. I join in Deputy Wall's expression of sympathy to the family of the late John Lucey of PDFORRA who made a wonderful contribution to the organisation and to Irish life.

Deputy Wall asked me about the need for a three year plan for the organisation and the logistics of how that would work. I will return to that point on Committee Stage. The Deputy is right in that the last thing we need is for the organisation to become too bureaucratic. Perhaps a simpler version of that plan, outlining clear goals, which could be set out on a few sheets of paper would be a good deal better than a massive strategic plan. I am sure we can marry the two ideas. Deputy Wall asked about the requirement to have four committees and suggested that perhaps two could be amalgamated, which is a proposal I will consider.

Deputy John Browne raised the views of members of the Civil Defence in Wexford. He knows I am well aware of those views, which he has brought to my attention on many occasions, as has the local organisation. I note what he said about the building situation there and I will examine the matter. I endorse his view that there is a need for more women in the organisation. While that position has improved dramatically, much more could be done, particularly with the appointment of a specialised recruitment committee. Perhaps the board would appoint a specialised recruitment officer who would deal with public relations and recruitment.

I thank Deputy Connaughton for emphasising the community orientation of the Civil Defence. I hope this Bill will be an exciting new start for a wonderful organisation. We know it needs better facilities, more equipment, improved buildings, but most of all it needs a new start. Without taking from the great work done by everybody involved at every level over the years, at the start of a new millennium and a new century I hope we can reinvigorate the organisation and give it a new board, on which the volunteers can have a direct say. Together they can plan the future of what is a fantastic organisation. The volunteers are the unsung heroes in our community. I hope the new board and organisation will give the Civil Defence a fresh start of which we can be proud.

I thank Deputies for the speedy but thoughtful and constructive passage of the Second Stage of this Bill. I look forward to teasing out its provisions and responding in more detail to the Deputies' questions on Committee Stage.

Question put and agreed to.
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