Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 29 September 2026
478. Deputy Jennifer Whitmore asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the way in which communities will be informed, in an emergency situation, of where to find their nearest community support centre and local centres set up to provide support in the event of extreme weather emergencies. [68845/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra479. Deputy Jennifer Whitmore asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the funding that has been allocated to the Community Support Centre programme, that is local centres set up to provide support in the event of extreme weather emergencies since the publication of the Review of storm Éowyn. [68844/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra480. Deputy Jennifer Whitmore asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of the 400 planned Community Support Centres, local centres set up to provide support in the event of extreme weather emergencies, that have been fitted with generator connections. [68843/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra483. Deputy Jennifer Whitmore asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to provide a county-by-county breakdown of community support centres and local centres set up to provide support in the event of extreme weather emergencies, categorised by those planned, those under development, and those operational. [68842/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 478, 479, 480 and 483 together.
Local authorities are designated as the lead agencies for coordinating the response to flooding and severe weather emergencies at local level. All local authorities have established Severe Weather Assessment Teams, which monitor Met Éireann weather warnings, High Tide Advisories and European Flood Awareness System (EFAS) advisory warnings. Local authorities also have Severe Weather and Flood Plans in place to support their response to severe weather emergencies.
As Lead Government Department for coordinating the response to severe weather emergencies, my Department, through the National Directorate for Fire & Emergency Management (NDFEM), coordinates the whole-of-Government response where national-level coordination is required. NDFEM works closely with local authority Severe Weather Assessment Teams, Met Éireann, other Government Departments and relevant responding agencies.
Following Storm Éowyn, my Department, through the NDFEM, undertook a review of the response to the storm. The review was circulated to the Government Task Force on Emergency Planning, chaired by the Department of Defence, and subsequently submitted to Government. The review has been published and is available at:
www.gov.ie/en/department-of-housing-local-government-and-heritage/publications/review-of-storm-%C3%A9owyn/.
One of the recommendations arising from the review, and a key priority for my Department, was to further develop the concept of Community Hubs, now known as Community Support Centres (CSCs). Guidance on the identification of suitable premises and their activation, where required, was developed in conjunction with the Local Government sector and is now in place. This approach was used successfully in the activation of Community Support Centres in Donegal in the aftermath of Storm Amy and in Aughrim and Enniscorthy following Storm Chandra.
Community Support Centres provide a vital focal point for communities during emergencies, where people can access practical supports such as phone charging, hot drinks and food, as well as up-to-date information and advice.
A total of 572 Community Support Centres have been identified nationally as locations that may be activated, where required, to support communities during severe weather and other emergency events. My Department has developed a national online GIS platform to map the locations and relevant details of CSCs across the country. Local authorities are currently working with community and voluntary groups to upload the necessary information and formally register centres on the platform.
During an emergency, the platform will be accessible to the public and will provide details of activated Community Support Centres, including their locations, opening times and the services available. This will be supplemented by direct public information from local authorities through news media, online channels and social media. A table setting out the number of CSCs identified in each county is provided below.
My Department has also provided €1.2 million this year towards a programme of works to install generator changeover switches at identified CSCs. More than 120 changeover mechanisms have already been installed, with work continuing and approximately 180 centres expected to have this capability by year-end. In addition, the Department of Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht has funded the procurement of 124 trailer-mounted generators, four for each local authority, at a cost of €3.27 million. These have now been delivered to all local authorities. Together, these measures will strengthen the capacity of Community Support Centres to remain operational during prolonged electricity outages.
While formal funding arrangements are not currently in place to meet the operational costs associated with the activation of Community Support Centres, my Department will work with local authorities in relation to reasonable costs incurred as part of the exceptional financial support arrangements that may be put in place following significant severe weather events.
Number of potential Community Support Centre locations identified by Local Authorities as of 27/09/26
|
Local Authority |
Number of CSCs Identified |
No. with CO Switch |
|
Carlow |
9 |
9 |
|
Cavan |
25 |
0 |
|
Clare |
33 |
0 |
|
Cork City |
10 |
0 |
|
Cork County |
10 |
|
|
Donegal |
33 |
12 |
|
Dublin City |
|
|
|
Dun Laoghaire |
0 |
|
|
Fingal |
|
|
|
Galway City |
40 |
3 |
|
Galway County |
70 |
9 |
|
Kerry |
21 |
|
|
Kildare |
16 |
0 |
|
Kilkenny |
11 |
0 |
|
Laois |
9 |
0 |
|
Leitrim |
22 |
22 |
|
Limerick |
9 |
0 |
|
Longford |
4 |
0 |
|
Louth |
5 |
|
|
Mayo |
24 |
8 |
|
Meath |
44 |
17 |
|
Monaghan |
42 |
24 |
|
Offaly |
11 |
|
|
Roscommon |
12 |
|
|
Sligo |
20 |
|
|
Sth. Co Dublin |
2 |
|
|
Tipperary |
32 |
|
|
Waterford |
18 |
18 |
|
Westmeath |
13 |
0 |
|
Wexford |
17 |
|
|
Wicklow |
10 |
|
|
Total |
572 |
122 |
