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Minister for Justice, Equality and Defence, Mr. Alan Shatter, T.D.
Announces Cabinet Approval To Draft Legislation in Relation to
The Civil Defence Board


The Minister for Justice, Equality and Defence, Mr. Alan Shatter, T.D., received the approval of the Government on 12 July 2011 to begin drafting legislation to transfer the functions of the Civil Defence Board back into the Department of Defence.

The Cabinet today approved the proposal in the context of current Government policy to bring the functions of many state agencies back into their parent Department. This transfer of functions will result in verifiable savings and will allow management to develop Civil Defence rather than duplicate the corporate governance of the Department.


If the proposed Bill is enacted, it will repeal the Civil Defence Act 2002, dissolve the Civil Defence Board and transfer its functions, property, rights, liabilities and other responsibilities to the Department of Defence.

The Civil Defence Board was established in 2003, following the Civil Defence Act 2002, to co-ordinate the operation and future development of civil defence at national level and to advise the Minister on policy issues.

Prior to the establishment of the Board, its functions were the responsibility of a branch of the Department of Defence. Political accountability to the Oireachtas for the discharge of the Board’s functions has however remained with the Minister, and the Secretary General of the Department is still the accounting officer for all expenditure on the Board’s part. An interim Board will remain in place until the legislation is enacted.


END


Note for Editors

Civil Defence is a volunteer-based organisation originally founded in the 1950's to be part of the national defence structure as the necessary civil response to potential hazards that might arise in a war situation. The Civil Defence role today has changed principally to that of acting in support of the emergency services and in carrying out community support activities. Since 2003 Civil Defence has operated at national level under the direction of the Civil Defence Board. Services such as casualty, rescue, auxillary fire, radiation monitoring, welfare and communications are delivered locally through Local Authorities who appoint a Civil Defence Officer to oversee the planning, organising and recruiting for Civil Defence and who also act as the essential link between volunteers, communities, local authorities and the organisation nationally.


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