A new three-year strategic plan for the Civil Defence has committed the organisation to train and develop the skills of 3,000 of its 6,000 members during the period covered by the plan.
The organisation will also seek to attract more volunteers to its ranks and will work to strengthen its links with other frontline services that also have a role in reacting to emergencies.
The three-year strategy was launched at the Civil Defence headquarters in Roscrea, Co Tipperary, yesterday.
Minister for Defence Tony Killeen said: “It is a great comfort to local communities, local authorities and to the State to know such an invaluable resource as the Civil Defence is available to them to mitigate the effects of major emergencies.”
The Civil Defence is a voluntary body that aids professional organisations, such as the Garda, in responding to emergencies.