The Minister for Defence through the Office of Emergency Planning and the task force on emergency planning oversees emergency planning to promote the best possible use of State resources and to ensure compatibility between different emergency planning requirements. The Office of Emergency Planning is established on an administrative basis. It is appropriate, from time to time, to consider whether its work needs to be supported by a statutory framework regarding emergency planning, and this is what happens. The Government will consider any detailed proposals which the Minister, in light of experience, may wish to make in that regard.
Emergency issues involve not only defence and security, but also health, transport and aviation. It is not possible and would not make sense to break these sectors away from their parent Departments and make them the responsibility of one agency. However, when Departments are required to co-operate or to have an input, they do so. This makes for much better functional operation of emergency planning arrangements.
The report of the Emergency Planning Society, referred to by Deputy Kenny, envisages greater integration of emergency services by amalgamation of responsibility for managing energies into a single agency. As previously indicated, substantial costs would be associated with that approach. Moreover, responses to different types of emergency require different skills, experience and resources. For example, dealing with a marine oil pollution incident is different from reacting to a foot and mouth disease threat.
One unit cannot do everything and, therefore, it is best that primary responsibility remains with the agency with the relevant know-how and expertise. Obviously, when experts are required, they will be brought in. The system is small enough to easily allow for that, as was the case in the context of foot and mouth disease and after 11 September 2001. The Minister for Defence previously welcomed the interest of the Emergency Planning Society and he has ensured its report had a wide circulation among Departments with emergency planning responsibilities, which was useful.
With regard to SARS, the Government is satisfied that the steps taken by the Minister for Health and Children and the health authorities were adequate, proportionate, balanced and, above all, successful. The Department of Health and Children continues to monitor the situation and will continue to initiate further appropriate action with regard to China, if necessary.