asked the Minister for Defence if he will give an outline of existing plans for civil defence in the event of an outbreak of war in which nuclear weapons are used.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Civil Defence against Nuclear Weapons.
Local authorities are responsible under the A.R.P. Acts for the making and implementation of plans under the direction of the Minister for Defence.
The following is an outline of the principal matters provided for in existing civil defence plans which take into account the possible use of atomic weapons but do not take into account thermo-nuclear (hydrogen bomb) weapons:—
(i) A warning system based on receipt of warning from military sources,
(ii) training, instruction, and technical services,
(iii) the supply of respirators, antigas/atomic protective clothing, de-contaminating materials and other items of equipment,
(iv) the organisation of schemes for
(a) the treatment of casualties,
(b) rescue of persons trapped in demolished buildings,
(c) fire-fighting,
(d) de-contamination of areas subjected to gas attack,
(e) the problem of contamination by radioactive materials,
(f) the removal of unexploded missiles,
(g) road clearance and repair of damaged buildings,
(h) protection of State buildings,
(i) salvage,
(j) the welfare of homeless persons including arrangements for accommodation in rest centres and billets,
(k) emergency cooking and feeding,
(l) welfare and information centres,
(v) the maintenance of essential services,
(vi) the provision of shelter for the public and assistance to householders, etc., towards the provision of private shelter,
(vii) the structural protection of buildings used for essential purposes,
(viii) the evacuation of the nonessential population from large centres of population.
Would the Minister say if these are the functions that must be performed by the various county councils in connection with defence against atomic warfare?
As I have stated in the first part of my answer, local authorities are responsible under the A.R.P. Acts for the making and implementation of plans under the direction of the Minister for Defence. We will try to advise them as far as possible.