Ahern and O'Dea launch national emergency plan

The government has spent €2m on reassuring the nation that it has a plan to cope with any upcoming major national disasters.

The Irish Task Force on Emergency Planning was set up after the Twin Tower attacks in September 2001 and today Chairperson and Minister for Defence Willie O'Dea invited members

of the media to inspect the command centre which has been established at the Department of Agriculture headquarters on Dublin's Kildare street.

Senior members of the Army, Garda chiefs, veterinary experts and meteorologists will gather

at the nerve centre to formulate a strategy in the event of a natural disaster, chemical

or nuclear incidents or a pandemic.

How the country coped with the outbreak of foot and mouth disease in the past is being cited as an example of how such a co-ordinated response can be a success.

Booklets advising the public on what measures to take are to be posted to every house in the country and in short the advice is "stay inside, and tune into radio and tv channels".

The move was sparked by government commissioned research indicating the Irish public was in the dark and concerned about what measures are in place in the event of a national emergency.

According to Willie O'Dea, the survey showed large scale rail or disasters topped the list of national concerns with the threat of a bioterrorism attack down the list.

There was much debate about the policy of supplying of iodine tablets to counter a nuclear leak

which has now been abandoned, according to the Limerick TD.

A website emergencyplanning.ie has been established to provide further information to the public

who are being urged to familiarise themselves with the measures in place.

Chinese, Polish and Russian explanations of the plans have also been drafted.

The booklet "Preparing for Major Emergencies" was launched by the Taoiseach Bertie Ahern.