Michael McNamara
Ceist:313. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for Defence if he will provide details of the members of the national emergency co-ordination group; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56339/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraTuesday, 15 November 2022
Ceisteanna (313)
Freagraí scríofa
I chair the Government Task Force on Emergency Planning which coordinates emergency management policy across Government departments and agencies. The Office of Emergency Planning in my department provides a secretariat function to the Government Task Force. One of the tasks of the Office of Emergency Planning is to convene a meeting of the National Emergency Coordination Group within 1 hour of notification by a lead government department. For this purpose the Office of Emergency Planning maintains a list of the principal and deputy representatives to the Government Task Force from each government department and relevant agencies.
The Deputy may wish to note that a National Emergency Coordination Group is convened at the request of a Government department in response to a threatened or ongoing national-level emergency in the area of responsibility of that department. It is chaired by the Minister or senior official of that department. The National Emergency Coordination Group membership is the same as the Government Task Force with the exception of the Chair, which transfers from myself as Minister for Defence to the Minister or senior official from the lead government department responsible for the emergency in question.
At the behest of the lead government department, other agencies and stakeholders may also be called upon to attend a National Emergency Coordination Group. These could include, electricity transmission and generation providers, utility companies, sectoral regulators, etc.
Below you will find a list of departments and agencies represented at the Government Task Force and National Emergency Coordination Group:
Department of Agriculture and the Marine
Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sports and Media
Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth
Department of Rural and Community Development
Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications
Department of Defence
Department of Education
Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science
Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment
Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage
Department of Foreign Affairs
Department of Health
Department of Transport
Department of Justice
Department of Social Protection
Department of An Taoiseach
Department of Finance
Department of Public Expenditure and Reform
National Cyber Security Centre
Geological Survey of Ireland
Environmental Protection Agency
Defence Forces
Office of Emergency Planning
Civil Defence
Met Éireann
Local Government Management Agency
Office of the Government Chief Information Officer
Office of the Revenue Commissioners
Office of Public Works
Health Service Executive
Health and Safety Authority
An Garda Síochána
National Security Analysis Centre
Government Information Service
Irish Coast Guard.