It has been a long-term ambition of Government to develop a Cell Broadcast Public Warning System (CB-PWS). Cell broadcast technology is widely used for public warning systems in other countries, including the United Kingdom. CB-PWS allows for localised alerting based on network mast location and is not affected by the issues of network capacity, congestion and character limits that can impact the effectiveness of SMS based legacy PWS systems.
The project to develop a CB-PWS has been progressed to date by my Department and the Office of Emergency Planning in the Department of Defence and via working groups under the Government Task Force on Emergency Planning.
The engagement between my Department and the Office of Emergency Planning in the Department of Defence regarding the public warning system, among other matters, is an ongoing one.
It is my Department's role to procure the technical solution for the PWS and engage with telecommunications operators to integrate the technology into their systems.
The procurement of a Cell Broadcast Public Warning System for Ireland will provide an advanced and futureproofed system with extensive functionalities and capabilities, providing an effective warning system for the public in emergencies.
In 2024 my Department procured advisory services in relation to the procurement and implementation of the PWS. Since then, my officials and their advisors have been working to develop recommendations to Government in relation to the project.
Pending Government approval of these recommendations it is anticipated to begin procurement for the PWS technical solution this year, with full implementation of the CB-PWS in 2027.
This will allow the PWS to become part of existing emergency communications structures that are already in place and, in the appropriate circumstances, it will be another channel to provide information to the public among those already existing, such as social media, TV and radio.
