The National Flood Forecasting and Warning Service (NFFWS) is being developed as part of a collaborative, government wide approach to flooding in line with international best practice. Further developments of the NFFWS are currently overseen by a new Subgroup of the Government Task Force on Emergency Planning, chaired by the Office of Emergency Planning, Department of Defence and including representatives of the Department of the Taoiseach, Department of Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation, the National Directorate for Fire and Emergency Management (NDFEM) of my Department, the Office of Public Works (OPW), the County and City Management Association (CCMA) representing local authorities, and Met Éireann.
The objective of this working group is to:
• Prepare and agree a plan for Stage II of the NFFWS setting out the roles and responsibilities of the relevant Departments/Agencies for its implementation and the governance arrangements underpinning its implementation.
• Bring a Memorandum to Government for a decision to agree to the Stage II Plan, seeking a commitment from Government to resourcing the delivery of the Stage II Plan for the NFFWS.
• Report on progress on the implementation of the Stage II Plan to the Government Task Force on Emergency Planning and the Cabinet Committee on climate action and energy and to provide updates to meetings of the Interdepartmental Flood Policy Coordination Group.
Met Éireann’s Flood Forecasting Centre is a key component of the NFFWS. The Centre began operations in January 2024, which marked a major milestone, completing the initial set-up phase of the NFFWS. Since then, the Centre provides daily guidance and targeted advisories to the National Directorate for Fire and Emergency Management within my Department as well as local authorities and emergency responders across Ireland. This guidance is combined with additional analysis and contextual elements by Met Éireann’s hydrometeorologists to support their preparedness and response to potential flood events. The Centre also provides flood analysis training, briefings, and direct support to decision-makers before and during significant events, with the aim of maximising public protection and safety.
A public flood warning system, capable of providing localised alerts to people in high-risk flood zones, will be developed as part of the broader National Flood Forecasting and Warning Service. This development will be built on an expanded river and coastal observation network.
