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Dublin, Ireland — The Department of Defence has announced that the World Bank will provide technical assistance to the Office of Emergency Planning (OEP) as part of a comprehensive review of Ireland’s National Strategic Policy Framework for Emergency Management. The initiative aims to strengthen national preparedness and response capabilities by aligning Ireland’s emergency planning systems with international best practices.
The OEP, a joint civil-military office within the Department of Defence, is responsible for coordinating emergency planning across government departments and public authorities. Its mandate includes ensuring resource efficiency and policy compatibility across a wide range of emergency scenarios.
The review is being financed through the European Union’s Technical Assistance Financing Facility (TAFF), a collaborative programme involving the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (DG ECHO), the World Bank, and the Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery (GFDRR).
Expert Consultations and Timeline
A team of World Bank experts will conduct technical consultations in Dublin from 15 to 19 September 2025. These sessions will engage stakeholders from across government and civil society to assess Ireland’s current disaster risk management structures, identify operational challenges, and explore opportunities for policy enhancement.
An interim report is expected in autumn 2025, with a final report due by year-end. The findings will evaluate the strengths of Ireland’s emergency planning system and recommend improvements to ensure resilience against a broad spectrum of threats, including natural disasters, public health emergencies, and security-related incidents.
Strategic Context and Governance
The OEP serves as the secretariat to the Government Task Force (GTF) on Emergency Planning, chaired by the Minister for Defence. The GTF convenes regularly at the National Emergency Coordination Centre and includes senior officials from government departments, the Defence Forces, An Garda Síochána, and other key public authorities.
Ireland’s emergency planning is guided by the Strategic Emergency Management (SEM) National Structures and Framework, approved by Government in July 2017. The SEM outlines protocols for managing 50 distinct emergency types, assigning lead responsibility to relevant departments and emphasizing local-level response wherever feasible.
The current review will assess the effectiveness of these structures and explore how Ireland can better integrate risk reduction, preparedness, and response strategies in line with evolving global standards.
For more information on Ireland’s emergency planning policies, visit the Office of Emergency Planning.
Department of Defence Hq IrL, by William Murphy
