The Government sought to reassure people last night concerning national emergency plans in the event of terrorist attack.
In a statement, the Government said while there was no reason to believe that Ireland would be the subject of a chemical or biological attack, it was considered prudent in light of recent events to review and update emergency plans. A committee of ministers is to be established to deal with this specific threat. It was discussed at yesterday's Cabinet meeting.
The "unique characteristics" of chemical and biological emergencies required additional response measures not included in existing plans, said the statement.
The group co-ordinating these responses, established following the US attacks, will this morning meet key personnel involved in emergency planning "to assess how existing plans can be modified as part of the overall response to emergencies of this kind".
Discussions between the Department of Health and the World Health Organisation are ongoing and the outcome of these would "help to inform deliberations".
Detailed arrangements exist under the national emergency plan for nuclear accidents for monitoring dispersal of radioactive particles, it said, for early warning of the public of an emergency and for keeping the public informed of all stages of the emergency.
That plan, designed to deal with the impact of a nuclear accident at a nuclear installation abroad, also provides for an emergency committee of ministers "to convene and oversee the response to the extended emergency".
"All of these are procedures and structures which will be extended and adapted for chemical and biological threats and arrangements have now been put in place for a committee of ministers to also oversee the response to any chemical or biological threat.
"The WHO has offered to assist countries if they experience attacks and believe that most if not all of infectious diseases, whether natural or deliberate, would quickly be detected through a global alert network.
"Ireland would, of course, benefit from this and the Department of Health and Children is in liaison with the WHO about these issues," said the statement.
The security aspects of the response is being managed by the National Security Committee which met on the day of the US attacks and twice since. It includes the secretaries general of the departments of Justice and Defence, the Garda Commissions and the Defence Forces Chief of Staff.
The statement said there were extensive peace-time emergency plans which were co-ordinated at different levels.
They cover a variety of situations including major accidents; major oil spillages; nuclear accident; marine search and rescue; exotic animal diseases and severe weather emergencies.
"The range and variety of possible emergencies involving different expertises mean that the concept of a single emergency plan is not apt. Rather it is that the national emergency response comprises the full range of plans, each tailored to meet specific contingencies."
The Government spokesman said the updated version of the national emergency plan for nuclear accidents was almost complete and would be published within weeks.
The plan, by the Department of Public Enterprise, is an "inter-departmental and inter-agency framework for early warning of and rapid response to nuclear emergencies" and the subsequent response.
The main aspects of the plan were made available last night. The spokesman said it had been planned to make it available in libraries and to those who requested it.
However the situation was under review and it may be distributed to each household.
He said that health boards had a supply of iodine tablets, to be taken in the event of a nuclear emergency.
These are available on request, but a decision may also be taken to distribute them to households.
The full text of the Government's statement on emergency planning is on The Irish Times website at www.ireland.com