3. Deputy Naoise Ó Muirí asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation when he expects the mission critical communications system to be fully operational; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [60174/25]

Sentiment score: -0.10

My question today is about how we can strengthen our national resilience against future storms in the wake of Storm Éowyn and how new technologies can be used to better protect our communities. I want to ask the Minister of State when she expects the mission critical communications system to be fully operational and will she make a statement on the matter.

Sentiment score: 0.28

I thank the Minister of State. It is good to hear that it has been trialled and it is getting up and running. This system will build greater resilience in our emergency communications. As the Minister of State said, it is kind of a system of systems so it gives us a last resort in terms of response. I referred to Storm Éowyn. We all know that storms are getting worse. All the weather records show that. Storm Éowyn is out on its own in terms of the impact on the west of Ireland and I suppose we are all so cognisant of the importance of communications during serious storms like that. Elderly and vulnerable members of the community were left without power but even longer without communications. We will be looking at that issue in the climate committee soon. In terms of rolling out to community first responders, are they on the list? As the Minister of State will probably be aware, the National Ambulance Service co-ordinates a network of community first responders who are volunteers, who can do CPR, who can do defib and provide other services. It strikes me that they could be a good group to benefit from this in an emergency or a storm situation.

Sentiment score: 0.07

It is positive that we can have an influence on that while we hold the Presidency of the Council. It is good to hear about Westport. Storm Éowyn was a west of Ireland problem in the main and testing the system off the west coast in Westport was a positive development. It would be great to keep the plan moving. We will no doubt hear more about it in due course in the context of the EU Presidency underpinning further work. I thank the Minister of State.

Sentiment score: 0.27