Written answer
Departmental Policies
The Government is developing IE-Alert, including a cell broadcast system, to augment existing channels with location-specific warnings for emergencies such as wildfires and flooding.
643. Deputy Jennifer Whitmore asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport if his Department intends to introduce a national emergency alert system for naturaldisaster incidents such as wildfires, flooding, or severe weather events; if proposals are currently under consideration; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [65217/26]
Comment on this
Ireland enacted an SMS-based emergency public warning regulation via S.I 583 of 2023 allowing me, as Minister, to direct operators to transmit a public warning to users of their services via SMS in the event of a major emergency or disaster. Warning the public by SMS is of limited effectiveness during an emergency as this technology is impacted by network capacity, congestion and character limits.
My Department is working with the Departments of the Taoiseach and the Department of Defence to establish “IE-Alert”, an interdepartmental programme to develop the technology, expertise, processes and public awareness necessary to establish a holistic public warning system to effectively warn the public of threats during an emergency.
As part of the programme, my Department is leading on the procurement of a Cell Broadcast Public Warning System (CB-PWS) for transmitting public warning messages. An advisory service was procured in Q3 2024 which has enabled my Department to develop technical specifications and recommendations in relation to this system; I expect procurement of the CB-PWS to begin this year.
Cell broadcast is an effective technology for distributing public warning messages, utilised in many other jurisdictions. CB-PWS messages are not impacted by the same issues as SMS and can be sent to mobile phone users in a specific geographic area.
Protocols and procedures for the use of the PWS under certain scenarios, such as those outlined by the Deputy, will be established through the programme.
IE-Alert will be part of the existing emergency communications structures that are in place, such as TV, radio and social media. In the appropriate circumstances, it will be an augmenting channel in providing information to the public.