TDs demand answers over response to weather conditions
The senior civil servant charged with co-ordinating the Government’s response to the big freeze will be grilled by TDs and Senators this week.
Sean Hogan, chair of the Emergency Response Co-ordination Committee, will be questioned on Tuesday about the State’s response to the arctic conditions – the worst for 40 years.
The Government has been heavily criticised for its handling of the wintry conditions, including Transport Minister Noel Dempsey’s absence and the perceived delays in clearing snow and ice from roads.
Sean Fleming, Fianna Fáil chair of the Oireachtas Environment Committee, said members will be demanding an update on attempts to tackle the crisis.
“We will be demanding answers regarding why it has taken so long for them to meet and why so little seems to have been learnt from the experiences of the recent floods,” Mr Fleming said.
“It is clear that there are far too many agencies involved in coping with national crises and this hampers the delivery of an efficient response for the people of Ireland.”
Mr Dempsey was heavily criticised for remaining out of the country on a family holiday in Malta when the country was gripped by the arctic weather.
He returned to Ireland today and was meeting with officials from the Emergency Response Co-ordination Committee.
The committee brings together representatives from a range of agencies including the Departments of the Taoiseach, Transport, Defence, Environment, Health, the Defence Forces, the Gardaí and Met Éireann.
The Labour Party said it was concerned Mr Hogan would become the scapegoat for the Government’s political failures.
Ciaran Lynch, local government spokesman, said: “I am somewhat concerned that Mr Hogan is being pushed out front by his political masters to take the flak for their failure to get to grips with the current adverse weather conditions, just as they did during the catastrophic flooding in November.”
But Mr Lynch said the top civil servant would still be grilled on the Committee’s actions.
“I will be particularly interested to hear about any recommendations that Mr Hogan would have with regard to the manner in which authorities responded to the disastrous flooding a few weeks ago, and his initial impression of the Government response to the current cold snap.”
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