Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 16 December 2025
109. Deputy John Paul O'Shea asked the Minister for Defence the extent to which the Defence Forces engage with other agencies and supporting resources to respond to severe weather events such as storms, flooding, and other emergencies; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [71888/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraAt the outset, I should say my colleague the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage and his Department are the lead Department for preparing and responding to severe weather events. The Office of Emergency Planning, in my Department, assists and provides support to the lead government departments during emergency events and I very much look forward to taking up the role as Chair of the Government Task Force on Emergency Planning and look forward to working with all the Government Agencies over the coming months. In October my colleague Mr. James Brown, T.D., Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage published the Review of Storm Éowyn which, inter alia, highlighted the necessary response actions taken by the National Emergency Coordination Group and details recommendations considered necessary to consolidate and build on the strengths of the existing coordination structures. As the Deputy will be aware, the Defence Forces are not the first responders in either the preparedness nor in the recovery phase of such events. Their role, when called upon, is to assist civilian authorities in dealing with the various challenges which can present. In the context of some of the severe weather events to date in 2025, the supports provided by the Defence Forces include the provision of helicopter flights carrying ESB personnel in order to identify the extent of the affected network, the collection and distribution of personnel and patients on behalf of the HSE, filling of sandbags in advance of flooding events, provision of logistical expertise etc.I can assure the Deputy that the Defence Forces continues to stand ready to assist in emergency scenarios as part of the whole-of-Government, whole-of-society response at both the national and local level.
