Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 25 November 2010
13 Deputy Paul Kehoe asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the preparatory actions he and agencies and organisations under his remit have undertaken in advance of any adverse weather this winter; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44282/10]
View answerIn keeping with international best practice, Ireland follows a generic approach to emergency management, which is set out in A Framework for Major Emergency Management. This was approved by Government in May 2006 and details the processes and procedures for managing and co-ordinating preparedness for, and response to, severe weather emergencies.
Each principal response agency (An Garda Síochána divisions, Health Service Executive areas and the main local authorities) adopted new format Major Emergency Plans with effect from 30 September 2008, based on a common emergency plan template outlined in the Framework. Local authorities are the lead agency for co-ordinating response to severe weather emergencies. Local authority Severe Weather Plans, which are a subset of the Major Emergency Plan, can be activated to co-ordinate the response whether a major emergency is declared or not. During the two severe weather events of last winter, for example, the coordination and inter-agency arrangements set out in the Framework were implemented at local and regional level, as required by local circumstances, without the declaration of a major emergency.
In the aftermath of last winter the National Steering Group, established to oversee implementation of the Framework for Major Emergency Management and chaired by my Department, carried out an initial review of the response to the severe weather events and sought the views of participants in the response on matters which could be improved for future such events. It established that the arrangements set out in the Framework were fit for purpose, and operated satisfactorily where used by local authorities (with their partner agencies) to manage the impact of both the flood and severe cold emergencies. However, some suggested changes and further development of operational matters are being implemented in association with the Framework's regional structures.
These changes were summarised in a Circular letter to all local authorities earlier this year, and covered the following points:
Clarification regarding early warning for severe weather emergencies;
Enhanced arrangements for provision of information to the public;
Protecting infrastructure;
Liaison with agencies outside of the immediate emergency management framework, including the OPW in relation to high volume pumping.
In addition, the National Roads Authority has significantly enhanced the salt procurement arrangements, to provide additional capacity for extended cold spells. Local authorities also have set out their priorities for road gritting. Relevant local authority personnel have attended seminars on the changes and updated arrangements which have been put in place.
Met Eireann, which operates under the aegis of my Department, provides the Public Service Weather Warnings system for local authorities and other bodies. Local authorities are provided with information from a number of other systems including the IceCast Road Weather Information System operated by the National Roads Authority in conjunction with Met Eireann, and river and coastal flood warning systems where these are in place.
The revised severe weather emergency arrangements were activated in a number of parts of the country in face of the recent threat of tidal flooding on the weekend of 7/8 November 2010.
