Survey: 70% believe Ireland unprepared for serious disasters
In the aftermath of the riots in Dublin, an Emergency Planning Task Force survey showed 70% of people believe there are not proper plans in place to cope with disasters.
Fine Gael’s Billy Timmins said a single emergency planning body must be created through legislation to report to the Government in instances of disasters.
“Emergency planning can save lives, but in order to do so it must be co-ordinated and effective,” the party’s spokesman on defence said.
“In order to ensure the best possible and most efficient emergency planning, consideration must be given to underpinning the role of the Task Force on Emergency Planning through legislation, and creating a single emergency planning body which would report to the highest level of Government, namely the Taoiseach.”
Mr Timmins said the findings of the survey were not surprising. He called for the Government to clarify whether the group, which was established after the September 11 attacks in the US, was consulted in advance of last Saturday’s Love Ulster parade.
He said it should be clarified if any aspect of the emergency plan for the capital was activated during the riots on Saturday.
“Ireland is clearly unprepared for man-made or natural emergencies. As it stands, our emergency response is split between a large number of Government departments, State agencies and sub-groups. And, even though a number of emergency situations have been simulated, we have never seen any results from these exercises.”
