Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 26 October 2011
11 Deputy Micheál Martin asked the Minister for Defence the proposed timeline for the reintegration of the Civil Defence organisation into the Army; when it is proposed to introduce the Civil Defence (repeal) Bill; and if he has had consultations with the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government on this matter. [31346/11]
View answerAt the Cabinet meeting on 12 July the Government approved a proposal to begin drafting legislation to transfer the functions of the Civil Defence Board back into the Department of Defence. The heads of the Civil Defence (repeal) Bill were subsequently agreed by Government on 30 August last. The Bill is currently being drafted and it is anticipated it will be published in early 2012.
If enacted, the Bill will repeal the Civil Defence Act 2002, dissolve the Civil Defence Board and transfer its functions, property, rights, liabilities and other responsibilities to the Department of Defence. Such changes will not have any impact on Civil Defence operations nationally and Civil Defence will continue to operate from Roscrea but will do so as a branch of the Department of Defence.
There have been consultations recently between officials from my Department and the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government. The importance of the vital role in emergency response played by some 4,000 Civil Defence volunteers nationally cannot be underestimated.
As recently as Monday evening last, large numbers of volunteers responded to the major flooding incident that occurred along the east coast. At 6.30 p.m. on Monday evening, a Civil Defence evacuation centre was established at Dublin Civil Defence headquarters on Wolfe Tone Quay and more than 100 volunteers were called into action during the course of that night. The response also included the provision of a catering unit, ten fire tenders, two water pumps, and eight ambulances, two of which were equipped with four-wheel drive. A total of six families were accommodated during the night before later being transported back to relatives. Civil Defence also set up an evacuation centre in Marino.
Using high sided vehicles, Civil Defence volunteers also evacuated people from the East Wall Road and Ballsbridge areas to local hotels. Volunteers also transported nurses and staff to and from Our Lady's Hospice in Harold's Cross and Crumlin children's hospital. Volunteers also towed a number of cars out of flood water to prevent obstruction and filled sandbags in a number of areas badly affected throughout the city. These operations continued until after 3 a.m. on Tuesday morning. Operations in Dublin resumed again yesterday evening when 50 volunteers were deployed until midnight in Howth, Clondalkin and Dundrum and were mainly involved in pumping flood waters from underground car parks.
Additional information not given on the floor of the House
In County Kildare, 18 volunteers and four, four-wheel drive vehicles were deployed from 6.30 p.m. on Monday evening until 1 a.m. Tuesday morning. Assistance was provided to the Garda Síochána with traffic control on the N7, and to the local fire service in providing sandbags for a housing estate in Johnstown.
In County Wicklow, 50 volunteers, three flood response vehicles, an ambulance and a minibus were deployed on Monday as Civil Defence responded to calls for sandbags and other duties all over the county. Volunteers assisted Wicklow County Council's planned evacuation of 500 houses in Bray — which, thankfully, did not have to be carried out as water levels receded. Civil Defence also provided a boat and volunteers to assist in the search for missing Garda Ciaran Jones, who sadly lost his life in tragic circumstances.
I join the Minister in paying tribute to the Civil Defence for its work over the past 48 hours and its daily work throughout the country. It is in the context of the work in which it was involved on Monday night that I am concerned about this legislation, in that the effort in Dublin on Monday night was co-ordinated by Dublin City Council, the local authority. The fact the Civil Defence is currently practically merged with the local authorities ensures its response is more immediate and more locally focused than it might be if it was recentralised into the military side. I am concerned the local knowledge and management that makes the Civil Defence so effective will be lost in the implementation of the new legislation.
I would also like to pay tribute to those members of the Civil Defence who joined in the search for Garda Ciaran Jones, at considerable personal risk. They deserve particular tribute. That was a local search co-ordinated locally. I am concerned we will lose that important local element in this new legislation.
That is central to my thinking and there is no question of that occurring. We are simply abolishing a quango that has not proved to have a necessary function. The connection between the Civil Defence and local authorities will continue and will not be affected in any shape or form.
I join the Deputy in paying tribute to the Civil Defence. On behalf of the Government I thank all members of the Civil Defence for their outstanding work in extraordinarily difficult circumstances. I referred previously to events in Dublin. It is also right to note that in County Kildare, 18 volunteers and four 4X4 vehicles were deployed from 6.30 p.m. on Monday evening until 1 a.m. on Tuesday morning and assistance was provided to the Garda with traffic control on the N7 and to the local fire service in providing sandbags for a housing estate in Johnstown. In County Wicklow, 50 volunteers, three flood response vehicles, an ambulance and a minibus were deployed on Monday as the Civil Defence responded to calls for sandbags and took part in other duties all over the county. Volunteers assisted Wicklow County Council's planned evacuation of 500 houses in Bray, which thankfully did not have to be carried out as water levels receded. Civil Defence also provided a boat and volunteers to assist in the search for the missing garda, Ciaran Jones, who sadly and tragically lost his life in the floodwaters.
I also acknowledge that in County Monaghan some 14 Civil Defence volunteers were on active duty on Monday last. A Civil Defence boat was used to assist the local authority in the Carrickmacross area, while a first aid team treated elderly people who were evacuated from their homes in Ballybay. Volunteers were also involved in the deployment of sandbags and in transporting local authority housing staff to access dwellings in the worst affected areas. The outstanding performance of members of the Civil Defence team and corps right across the country deserves the acknowledgement and congratulations not just of Government, but of everyone in this House and the entire community. Yet again, it demonstrated the extraordinary community commitment and the bravery that attaches to that commitment.
I join the Minister in paying tribute to all those involved in the catalogue of achievements he has outlined that took place over this 48 hours. They are phenomenal achievements and they were achieved by volunteers, people who were going about their daily business at 5 p.m. on Monday and suddenly became involved in the situation.
However the new legislation is framed, it is important the Minister involves the members of the Civil Defence in some way so that they will have an input into the legislation and the new arrangements for that body.
I wish to reassure the Deputy that it is crucial that members of the Civil Defence continue to be employed for their knowledge of local community, their involvement with local communities and for the interconnectivity between them and local authorities. I intend that is how matters will continue and there will be nothing in the legislation that will give cause for concern in that context.
