Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 29 September 2026
241. Deputy Jennifer Whitmore asked the Minister for Defence the persons on the subgroup to develop the National Flood Forecasting and Warning Service; the frequency with which they have met since the subgroup was established and when; and to provide an update on the stage 2 of the National Flood Forecasting and Warning Service NFFWS. [68840/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Government approved the establishment of the National Flood Forecasting and Warning Service in 2016 as a collaborative, government-wide initiative. A subgroup of the Government Taskforce on Emergency Planning was established in April 2025 to progress Stage II of the National Flood Forecasting and Warning Service. The subgroup is chaired by the Office of Emergency Planning in my Department and comprises representatives of:
• the National Directorate for Fire and Emergency Management;
• the County and City Management Association;
• the Local Government Management Agency;
• the Office of Public Works;
• Met Éireann;
• the Department of Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation;
• the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage; and
• the Department of the Taoiseach.
Since its establishment, the subgroup has met on three occasions: 3 June 2025, 3 September 2025 and 7 January 2026. Stage II is intended to deliver localised flood forecasting and warning services for communities across Ireland. The full scope, implementation plan, timelines and resource requirements for Stage II remain under development under the auspices of the Government Taskforce subgroup. This work will continue on a collaborative, whole-of-government basis and will be brought to Government separately for consideration when sufficiently developed.
The Office of Emergency Planning is working with stakeholders to reconvene the subgroup in October and to build on the developments set out by the Department of Housing Local Government and Heritage and agreed by Government in September.
