I welcome the Minister of State at the Department of Defence, Deputy Paul Kehoe.
Be Winter Ready Campaign: Statements
As chairman of the Government's task force on emergency planning, I am delighted to brief Senators on the Be Winter Ready campaign. The campaign is now an established annual event intended to give the public advice on the particular challenges the winter period can present. It also informs members of the public where they can source information on how to help themselves and others and highlights the whole-of-government approach being taken to winter preparations.
As Senators are well aware, the Be Winter Ready campaign focuses on flooding and safe driving. The Office of Emergency Planning, in collaboration with the Office of Public Works, OPW, and the Road Safety Authority, has designed and produced a leaflet on each aspect. The leaflets are distributed manually and available on the website winterready.ie. This is the sixth iteration of the Be Winter-Ready campaign, the focus of previous campaigns being on areas such as schools and farm families.
A meeting of the Government's task force on emergency planning took place on 9 November. It was dedicated to winter preparedness and immediately followed by the Be Winter Ready campaign launch. At the meeting a comprehensive briefing by all relevant Departments and agencies was received. As Senators may be aware, the role of the Government's task force on emergency planning is to support co-ordination across Government services in preparing for emergencies. This year's campaign launch further strengthened the co-ordinated approach taken in recent years. I am committed to continuing this approach to building national resilience during the winter in general but especially during severe weather events that may occur.
The Be Winter Ready campaign provides an opportunity for all relevant Departments and agencies, with transport operators, utilities and other services, to come together to inform on the work being undertaken in their areas. This collective approach provides an opportunity for the sharing of advice and information on our collective preparedness for the winter months and how the public can access and avail of this information. The launch of the Be Winter Ready campaign marks the start of what can be a very demanding time for many, including the emergency services. It also gives us an opportunity to take stock and reflect on the steps we can take to prepare for the challenges of wintertime.
We can all recall the prolonged period of severe cold weather that occurred in the winters of 2009 and 2010. They were two of the coldest spells in recent weather history. Last year we had 189% of normal rainfall, making it the wettest ever recorded.
Drawing on our experience of such events in previous years and the lessons learned, central and local government are now better prepared and ready to respond to incidents of severe weather. Emergency plans are in place and regularly updated and exercised, simulating a range of weather-related scenarios.
The Be Winter Ready campaign is but one element of a significant body of work that takes place in preparation for winter. Within my Department, Civil Defence and the Defence Forces are equipped, trained and regularly exercised to the highest levels to be able to provide support for the civil authorities, when required. All local authorities have major emergency plans in place that include provisions for severe weather. During recent severe weather incidents the co-ordination structures and procedures in these plans were used extensively. Most emergencies, including severe weather events, are responded to and managed locally or regionally. Where such weather events require a national response, the Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government leads the national level co-ordination to bring whole-of-government support to bear. The fact that this national level co-ordination commenced in advance of Storm Desmond which occurred on 4 December and those involved met over 30 times ensured a speedy response when flooding occurred.
I will not go into the details of last year’s flooding and the lessons learned as this is covered very comprehensively by the report on winter flooding - 4 December 2015 to 13 January 2016 compiled by the Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government and published on its website. Reports such as this are crucial to the continued development of our capability and capacity in this area. They inform our decision-making and ensure we are well prepared at both a national and local level. However, we can never become complacent. We need to continue planning, training and exercising regularly for such events. I acknowledge the work of individuals, community groups and the voluntary agencies for the essential assistance they provide during the winter and particularly during periods of severe weather, especially for the vulnerable in communities. Well prepared plans and preparations locally and within communities to ensure our resilience in such circumstances remain a key factor for coping with the adverse impacts of severe weather. Community resilience is vitally important in dealing with severe weather and other major emergencies. The front-line emergency services rely heavily on the community spirit across Ireland to assist them in their work and it is greatly appreciated. Severe weather tests our resources and ability to carry on normal activities. However, I believe that by being prepared and working together at local, regional and national levels we all become more resilient and minimise the disruption to our lives by such events.
Weather warnings issued by Met Éireann are an important and valuable service that has developed considerably in the past few decades. The core rationale for issuing weather warnings is to enable citizens, business and communities to take appropriate measures for the conditions to protect themselves, mitigate damage to their property and minimise disruption of economic activity during severe weather. It is particularly important that the public, businesses, schools and institutions across the State are familiar with the coded weather alerts issued and what to do when they are triggered and issued by Met Éireann.
Providing timely advice for the public is high among the key priorities for the Government at both a national and local level. The Be Winter Ready website and the Be Winter Ready booklet have been significantly enhanced with this in mind. Together with the links to other public service websites, they bring all of the relevant information together in a co-ordinated manner. I ask all members of the public, therefore, to take some time to explore these sites or read the booklet or both.
In addition, the Office of Emergency Planning has conducted a cost-effective and extensive information campaign on Be Winter Ready, with adverts on both national and local radio and in the national print media. They will be also be regularly tweeting during the winter period to augment the Be Winter Ready website and the advice being issued during particularly severe weather events. The twitter account can be followed on @emergencyIE and the public is being encouraged to join in the conversation at #bewinterready. The main message remains a simple one: be prepared, stay safe, know where to find help if you need it and be prepared to help others if you can. In other words, Be Winter Ready.
This is a very important issue as we face into winter. We can have all the actions we need to enable us to deal with what may be around the corner, but we often forget the most vulnerable in society, especially older people and those living in rural areas. In severe weather conditions it is important that we are all cognisant of the fact that people may be isolated. While we can write things in plans to address such things, they are really down to human nature and the goodness of neighbours, which will be a vital component of a Be Winter Ready plan.
The Be Winter Ready campaign was established following the brutal and uncharacteristically cold winters of 2009 and 2010. I am hesitant to call it a "knee-jerk" reaction, but it is unfortunate that we only began to think about the campaign after the event. As the Minister of State said, last year we had 189% of average rainfall and the winter ready campaign now has an emphasis on flood-related activities. It is always positive to hear such things being done, but it would be better to have had them before the event. We cannot allow the memories of last year to fade away without learning the lessons.
A major fall-out of the flooding was related to insurance and the vulnerable people in flood risk areas are living a nightmare, whether it is winter, spring, summer or autumn. While not directly related to today's topic, it is a side-effect of a severe winter that has to be addressed immediately in order that people can be at ease in their homes. If people cannot gain home insurance, it is very hard to sleep easy at night.
I compliment all of the agencies that came to the aid of people, whether in a voluntary capacity or as part of their daily duties, in 2009 and 2010. I encourage more voluntary organisations to buy into the Be Winter Ready campaign. The IFA in rural areas, for example, co-ordinates a four-wheel drive vehicle scheme in order that if there is severe snow or frost and people cannot access small lanes in backward rural areas, local farmers will provide a four-wheel drive vehicle for that purpose. I commend such schemes, into which we all need to buy. We cannot blame anybody for the weather. While politicians are blamed for almost everything else, they cannot yet be blamed for the weather because we do not know what is around the corner and nobody is in control of it. As anything can happen overnight, awareness and being prepared are as important as having written documents and plans.
I thank the Minister of State for coming to the House and giving an overview of the response. It is his responsibility as Minister of State and chairman of the Government task force on emergency planning. He may have already done it, but I encourage him to ensure local authorities are actually ready because in my experience few are. The first port of call for most people is the local authority. There are 31 local councils, but I can only speak for Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council which now has a 24-hour emergency service which is based in a call centre in Cork, although that is irrelevant. It is a good system in that the minute one dials this number, the call will be answered by an agency who will tell one where to connect. The reality is that local authorities need to be geared up. I was a member of a local authority for many years, but councillors, the elected members, virtually knew nothing about the emergency response. There is a whole range of emergency responses; for example, responses to weather issues, issues to do with agriculture and maritime disasters. A myriad of issues could arise this very night. This is about a bigger response. If there is a weakness in local authorities and the joined-up thinking about emergency responses, how ready, how equipped and how resourced are each of the 31 local councils to meet a disaster this very night? This very night a major cruise ship could go down in the port of Dublin. Where would one get blankets, food and other resources? Have there been dry runs of emergency response teams? It is not as joined up as we would like to imagine. It is an issue for the new year. It is also an issue in terms of the competence of the local authorities working with the Defence Forces, An Garda Síochána and a range of State and voluntary agencies. How ready are we as a nation? How ready are local authorities and State agencies to respond to what could potentially be critical disasters for communities and the people?
I thank the Minister of State for addressing this issue in the House. It is timely and appropriate. I acknowledge the staff and the team involved. We need to have some ongoing training to ensure immediate responses to emergencies. That is something at which I ask the Minister of State to look in conjunction with the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government. How can we be sure all State agencies and local authorities are ready to respond immediately to a major disaster? The Minister of State will find great weaknesses in the system. It is not robust enough and needs to be looked at. I suggest he and his officials might look at it in the new year.
Again, I thank the Minister of State for coming to the House and sharing his plans. Clearly, he has given it a lot of thought to the issue.
I welcome the Minister of State to the Chamber. I do not know how many of my fellow Senators were girl guides, or boy scouts. I can see one girl guide.
I was in the boy scouts.
I hope the rest were boy scouts.
I was a girl guide and our motto at the time was "Be prepared, Bí Ullamh". Essentially, that is what this campaign is about. As we all know, Ireland has quite unpredictable weather and in the past there were times when we found ourselves stranded owing to the weather conditions. I think everybody agrees the country should not grind to a halt because of adverse weather conditions, nor should people's lives or homes be in jeopardy because it rains too much or because it snows. It is of paramount importance that we are prepared for whatever the weather may bring. This campaign aims to do just that. As the Minister of State said, the main objectives are to provide practical advice for all on how best to prepare for the coming winter, to ensure members of the public have access to help if they need it, to reassure people that preparations are in place and that the Government has made preparations.
The document provides practical advice for coping during times of severe weather and gives us all the contact details for State agencies that can provide assistance. The main topics of the document include: preparing one's home, road safety, travel advice and advice for farmers and businesses. It is a very practical document and I commend the Department for the work that has gone into it. It should not be just about a document, as Senator Paul Daly said, but it should also be about people working together as a community and working with a sense of community spirit. With that in mind, I urge people to keep an eye on elderly relatives and neighbours. During periods of severe weather conditions, it makes it more difficult for people to get out and about and do their shopping and attend medical appointments. They may need help in bringing in fuel because, as we all know, it is very important for elderly people to have sufficient fuel to maintain adequate heat in their homes.
We should encourage elderly people to wear panic buttons in case of an emergency or a fall. They should be encouraged to use their mobile phone and have it charged at all times and to have a torch at hand in case of a power cut. All these things sound very basic, but when faced with bad weather or power cuts, people tend to panic. It is very difficult to be ready to deal with an emergency when in a state of panic. Being prepared in advance is half the battle.
I raise the issue of flooding. Last year's flooding has been raised by Senator Paul Daly. One of the objectives of the campaign, as has been stated by the Minister of State, is to reassure people that the Government has made preparations. To be parochial, the people of Athlone had a terrible time last year with the flooding. Everybody worked exceptionally hard during December and January to try to help those worst affected. As always, the Defence Forces were among the hardest workers and they worked day and night with county council workers and volunteers. It took five days for the Army to come out to help in Athlone last year. It was not because the Army did not want to come out - quite the opposite - it was because they were not officially called out by the county council. The county council thought it could manage it and did great work, but it made the wrong call. At one point, on a Sunday morning I called the Taoiseach and the then Minister for Defence to urge both of them to call out the Army because we needed assistance in Athlone. The then Minister instructed the council to request the Army to help. A procedure should be added to the Be Winter Ready programme, whereby after a certain specified time, the Army would automatically be called on. The Army's presence always reassures people, as we saw at first hand in Athlone last year.
I welcome the campaign and urge the Minister of State to consider my point about the Army and include it in the emergency plan. I hope we will not need any of these measures this winter. I hope it will be a mild and pleasant winter for everybody. We suffered enough last year. I urge everybody to ensure he or she will read the booklet and be ready, like all good girl guides and boy scouts.
Gabhaim mo bhuíochas leis an Aire Stáit as a bheith linn. I am glad that Senator David Norris is not here because unusually for me I have put a few notes together. I hope the Minister of State will not be offended when I read my notes.
When launching the Be Winter Ready initiative in early November, the Minister of State stated it was designed to provide practical advice on the measures citizen, businesses and communities could take to prepare for severe weather events, on which my colleagues have touched. The purpose of the initiative is also to reassure the public that adequate preparations are being put in place to ensure a co-ordinated response when emergency services are tasked with responding to exceptional weather circumstances.
I have looked at the Be Winter Ready website and it is a helpful aid that provides useful online information and contacts for people who have access to the Internet. Its usefulness for the elderly, however, one of the most vulnerable at-risk groups from severe winter weather, is likely to be limited as they are least likely to have access to the Internet and other online resources such as Twitter and Facebook. This means that it is especially important - to be fair, the Minister of State touched on this - that consideration be given to older people when promoting the Be Winter Ready campaign. I am interested in how this might be achieved. Will the information on the Be Winter Ready website be provided for at-risk groups which might not have online access? This could be done through more traditional forms of communications such as the direct mailing of leaflets with the same information that is available online. It is also useful that local authorities have been informed of the capabilities that the Defence Forces can bring to an emergency response and advise on local call-out arrangements in advance.
The Minister of State might explain how the relevant Departments and agencies plan to communicate their own preparations and information campaigns as part of what he has described as the whole-of-government approach to winter readiness.
In a reply to a recent parliamentary question from my colleague, Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh, about the contingency plans in place to deal with natural emergencies, the Minister of State confirmed that the Department of Defence had put in place a memorandum of understanding and service level agreements with other Departments and State agencies to ensure the maintenance of essential services.
Of course, specialised training is essential in order that Defence Forces personnel can respond more effectively in a crisis. I welcome the joint exercises involving soldiers, the Naval Service, the Air Corps and the principal response agencies that took place recently as we work towards providing a more fully integrated response. In 2015, for example, members of the Defence Forces participated in an interdepartmental desktop exercise based on a severe wind and rainfall event and it proved useful when responding to the storms and the wet weather of 2016. One of the key outcomes of the training was the provision of a water awareness syllabus of training, of which, to date, almost 700 Defence Forces personnel have availed. Perhaps the Minister of State might expand further on additional lessons that have been learned from the interdepartmental exercise and indicate if future similar exercises are planned for 2017. By engaging in these very worthwhile exercises, we will enable the Defence Forces to develop and improve their capacity to respond to requests for assistance in a flooding emergency or other incidents caused by nature. The enhanced efforts to prepare a co-ordinated response that will cover both routine and non-routine emergency scenarios that the Defence Forces might provide must be built upon and expanded.
The Defence Forces should be properly utilised and become fully integrated when supporting front-line Departments and agencies. Regrettably, this has not been the case in the past, when in recent years we have experienced exceptional weather events such as the extreme cold of 2010 and last year's unprecedented flooding and storms. The worsening weather patterns that are likely as a result of global warming and climate change are a fact of life that have caused serious hardship for both urban and rural communities across the State. The changing climate presents serious challenges for the Minister of State and his Government colleagues who have the responsibility for ensuring the emergency services have the resources and training to properly respond in a crisis. To achieve this, pre-planning and careful co-ordination between the various agencies and Departments are essential as we must maximise the effectiveness of the response to emergencies. Of course, adverse weather knows no borders. I note that in the past there has been positive co-operation between the Department of Defence and colleagues in the North in assisting farmers, in particular, north of the Border. I very much welcome that strategic co-operation and ask the Minister of State to outline any pre-planning that might look at adverse impacts across the island in its entirety and how the Defence Forces personnel and other agencies can work north of the Border to assist those who find themselves in need.
One of the most serious failings of the past when responding to severe winter weather conditions has been the slow response to emergencies whenever they occur. Poor planning, bad communication and indecisiveness have often left communities defenceless and exposed in the face of storms and flooding which have resulted in extensive damage that would have been minimised if the Defence Forces had been deployed more effectively. We need to learn from lack of past readiness that has resulted in slow response times in order to ensure Defence Forces personnel will be deployed rapidly to the areas where they are needed most. This means having in place a fully joined-up approach between all of the relevant Departments and agencies, including Met Éireann, the early warnings of which of impending severe weather should allow for a proactive deployment of personnel. If this can be achieved, we can ensure the Defence Forces' effectiveness will be maximised and that they will be in the vanguard of operations to assist other first responders to emergencies. I hope, therefore, that the Be Winter Ready initiative will help to achieve these aims.
I welcome the Minister of State for this discussion on the very important Be Winter Ready campaign. The key messages are tbe prepared, stay safe and know where to turn to for help. These are the key messages that must be communicated, especially to older people in the community. As others said, people must ensure they have an adequate supply of water and food in their homes in case we experience very harsh weather conditions. Medication is also very important because some people may not be able to leave their homes to obtain supplies. In terms of community spirit, it is very important that people keep an eye on one another. We have seen this happen all over the country in the past few years.
Weather conditions have changed a lot recently and we can experience several seasons in a very short space of time. Flooding was referred to. My county of Limerick has suffered a lot in that regard in recent years. An additional difficulty is that the ESB often has to release excess water at Ardnacrusha and this further complicates matters in the area.
It is welcome that the campaign is focused on flooding. It provides a lot of very practical advice such as turning off the water to one's home if one is going to be away for a number of days. However, there are some issues related to flooding that are crucial and deserving of more attention. A lot has been done for flood prone areas, but a lot more could be done. Insurance is a major issue for many people. Some householders have been unable to get home insurance because their homes are built on flood plains or they have been flooded in the past.
The campaign leaflet contains many practical tips, which I welcome. It points tjo the importance of maintaining modes of transport. Whether one uses a car or a bicycle, it is very important to ensure the lights are working properly. The leaflet also advises people to wear high visibility vests in the winter months in order that they will be clearly visible on the road. People also need to allow extra time for their journeys.
On the issue of farm safety, a number of students from Pallaskenry College were here yesterday to meet the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Deputy Michael Creed. They had carried out a survey of farm safety. The number of accidents on farms is very high, but many of the 546 farmers surveyed had been unaware of many important health and safety issues. The campaign leaflet advises farmers to tell someone in the household when they are going out to check on their animals during bad weather.
The local authorities in the mid-west have come together and agreed an emergency plan, in conjunction with all of the emergency service providers. That is something that should be replicated countrywide. Volunteers have been mentioned. I pay tribute to all of those who volunteer their time to help others. In Limerick, for example, there are volunteers who patrol the rivers at night to make sure there are no accidents. These volunteers, with the staff of all of the emergency services and local authorities, must be thanked for their work.
I thank all of the Senators for their contributions to this discussion.
Most emergencies, including severe weather events, are responded to and managed locally and regionally. While the response is co-ordinated and managed at a local level in the first instance, as was the case last winter, the Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government has the lead role in the response at a national level to severe weather events. As such, it can convene, at short notice, the national emergency co-ordination group for severe weather comprising 27 Departments and agencies in support of this local response, should it be required. The convening of the group brings a whole-of-government response to bear in dealing with crises. Last winter the aforementioned group met in advance of Storm Desmond on 4 December and convened daily from 7 December until 13 January in response to the severe weather and flooding that resulted. The overall co-ordinated response at local, regional and national level was extremely effective in minimising the damage to property and residents at the time. If Senators would like more information on the flooding that occurred in December 2015 and January 2016, I urge them to read the report prepared on it by the Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government.
In addition, the OPW has published on its website a progress report on the interdepartmental flood policy and co-ordination group which deals with a broad range of flood risk policies and measures and the manner in which they should be implemented. While we have tried and tested generic response mechanisms, we cannot be complacent when dealing with preparations for severe weather events and the potential dangers they pose, particularly during the winter months. The Be Winter Ready campaign reinforces the national emergency co-ordination group by encouraging people to be prepared to stay safe and also to know where to find help, if needed or required. We have made significant strides in promoting the Be Winter Ready campaign in the past six years. I am sure we are all agreed that is a cost effective and efficient campaign that brings together all State resources to promote the central message of resilience.
As I said, community resilience is vitally important in dealing with severe weather emergencies and assists the front-line emergency services greatly. I take the opportunity to acknowledge the excellent work of all front-line services, particularly those who have to work in severe weather conditions. However, I also highlight the continued and dedicated work of individuals, community groups and voluntary emergency services for the essential assistance they provide throughout the country, in particular for the vulnerable in communities during severe winters. This year the Be Winter Ready campaign is concentrating on promoting public awareness of flooding and how to prepare for such events and driving safely during the winter months. We all need to take road safety seriously. It is a particular problem during the winter months. The Road Safety Authority has been actively campaigning, as part of the Be Winter Ready campaign, to promote greater road safety during the winter months.
A number of Senators raised particular issues, including the issue of flood insurance cover. The OPW and Insurance Ireland have agreed a system of information sharing on flood alleviation schemes. The Department of Finance and the OPW also meet on a quarterly basis with Insurance Ireland to discuss the availability of flood insurance cover. The Minister of State, Deputy Seán Canney, is on top of this issue. As Members are aware, dealing with insurance companies can be difficult at times.
On a point of order, I was notified that this debate would commence at 3.15 p.m. The schedule issued last week did not provide a time for the commencement of the debate on this matter. I have just been told that I cannot contribute to the debate.
The Order of Business was agreed to.
There are a couple of serious issues about flooding in my area last year that I was asked to raise during the debate.
I must ask the Senator to allow the Minister of State to conclude, without interruption.
The House is not scheduled to sit until 8 p.m. We are not over-burdened with legislation.
I must abide by the rules of the House.
Surely, I can be allowed to make a contribution.
If I could allow the Senator to do so, I would, but I must abide by the rules. The Order of Business and the format for the taking of business were agreed to this morning. I am not allowing in other Senators who have also indicated that they want to contribute to the debate. I regret that the Senator was not in the Chamber prior to the Minister of State responding to the debate.
I ask that more clarity be provided in the schedule in the future.
Approximately two or three minutes before the Senator came into the Chamber I called on the Minister of State to respond as there were no other Members in the House indicating a desire to speak.
I was at a committee meeting.
Please allow the Minister of State to conclude his response, without interruption.
I was informed by text message from my secretary that the debate had commenced.
The Order of Business was agreed to. I am only doing my job.
I know. I am only asking for the right to speak in this Chamber.
If I could allow the Senator to do so, I would, but the rules do not allow me to do so.
A number of Senators raised the issue of insurance, which is a matter for the OPW and the Minister of State, Deputy Seán Canney. I appeal to the insurance companies to recognise the great work the OPW has been doing and the millions of euros it has invested in flood relief measures in towns and villages across the country. They should be offering cover to householders in general once alleviation works have been completed.
The IFA scheme was also mentioned. It has been very helpful, particularly to local authorities that are unable to reach minor roads.
Local authorities and their preparedness for emergencies were also mentioned. There are a range of emergency responses in every county. A huge amount of training and exercises are also being carried out across the country. One such exercise was carried out by the Defence Forces at the barracks in Kilkenny and involved Kilkenny, Wexford, Waterford, Tipperary and Carlow county councils. This will ensure that, should a severe weather event or flooding occur in any of the towns in these counties, there will be a co-ordinated response by the councils. It is not true to say there is a lack of co-ordination of services.
Senator Gabrielle McFadden spoke about elderly people and the need for neighbours to keep an eye on them. I appeal to all people to look out for and visit elderly people who are living alone and incapable of leaving their homes during the winter months. I pay tribute to the many volunteer organisations that work in this area, in particular, Civil Defence which comes within the remit of my Department.
A number of Senators, including Senator Gabrielle McFadden, spoke about the Army being called in to assist county councils. Aid to the civil power is a matter for individual local authorities. I can assure the Seanad that the Defence Forces are ready, willing and able to assist at any time. Senator Gabrielle McFadden will be aware of the great work carried out last year in her county by the Defence Forces.
On the issue raised by Senator Niall Ó Donnghaile, I chair the Government task force on emergency planning, on which all Departments and agencies are represented. The task force meets on a regular basis and met yesterday for two and a half hours, during which a range of issues were discussed. There is a co-ordinated approach to the issues arising. There is no doubt but that all local authorities and agencies are faced with huge challenges when it comes to severe weather events because of the uncertainty surrounding what may or may not occur. As such, we have to be ready for all eventualities. I can assure Senator Niall Ó Donnghaile that the Defence Forces do not cross the Border for specific reasons.
Senator Maria Byrne referred to household tips. I refer the Senator to the Department's website which provides links to other websites which contain domestic household tips.
Farm safety is another huge issue in winter time. We must all be cognisant of the need for vigilance in that regard.
As I said, a huge number of exercises are carried out between the Defence Forces and local authorities across the country. I have spoken to the commanders of each of the brigades and asked them to encourage this practice. These exercises are important in ensuring we are prepared.
I thank all of the Senators who contributed to the debate. I take the opportunity to wish Members of the Seanad, including the Acting Chairman, Senator Gerry Horkan, a very happy Christmas and prosperous 2017. I look forward to returning to the House in 2017. I also thank my officials and the officials in all of the emergency departments, particularly the Office of Emergency Planning, who often had to work in very difficult circumstances. As I said, these are the people on whom we depend in difficult weather conditions.