Willie O’Dea was on this evening’s Drivetime to address the deficit of Government response to the national cold snap. Besides, washing his hands of involvement in the salting and sanding of roads. It is a matter of local government he said, after all, unless of course, one looks up the Office of Emergency Planning – an office that lies within the remit of O’Dea and clearly points the responsibility needs to be taken up by central government.

A link from the website of the OEP leads site of the Department of Health and Children and the Framework of Major Emergency Management. The report cites that a Major Emergency needs to be called. A Major Emergency is defined as:

… any event which, usually with little or no warning, causes or threatens death or injury, serious disruption of essential services or damage to property, the environment or infrastructure beyond the normal capabilities of the principal emergency services in the area in which the event occurs, and requirest he activation of specific additional procedures and the  mobilisation of additional resources to ensure an effective, co-ordinated response.

This is in stark contrast to the National Emergency Response Committee that met for the first time earlier today to formulate a response to the worsening weather conditions. So, why has a Major Emergency not been called and not done days ago?

O’Dea also said that Government had recently become aware of the problem.  Drivetime were good enough to replay a days old weather forecast to help him out. All this despite The Big Freeze biting out national noses for over a fortnight! Hope he has his snow boots on, he’s well know for stomping the streets when he’s in Limerick!

fianna fail, weather, willie o'dea