What to do in an emergency

In the unlikely event of a nuclear or radiological emergency abroad with the potential to cause widespread emergency exposure in Ireland, additional information will be available on on www.gov.ie/nuclear. These updates will include details of the cause of the emergency, how long the emergency exposure is expected to last, and any protective measures that may be required (for example there may be a need for sector-specific protective actions for agriculture and food). This information will also be disseminated through the broadcast media and social media.

Given the most up-to-date hazard analysis studies carried out by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), it is not envisaged that there will be a need for the Irish public to evacuate, to shelter, or to take iodine tablets.

Under the National Plan, it is the responsibility of the EPA to manage the collection, testing and analysis of food, drinking water and environmental samples. To achieve this, the EPA will be supported by other agencies which will be responsible for gathering samples within their own sectors. For example:

• Uisce Éireann (Irish Water) may gather samples of drinking water
• The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) and the Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) may gather samples of milk, meat, grains, or other produce
• Met Éireann may collect air and rain samples from weather stations, and
• Civil Defence may collect soil and grass samples from specified locations as directed by the National Emergency Co-Ordination Group (NECG)

All samples will be brought to designated EPA laboratories for screening or analysis. Results of all sampling and monitoring will be considered by the NECG in formulating recommendations for longer-term protective measures.

FAQs on radiation emergencies can be found at the following link:https://www.epa.ie/resources/faqs/radiation/radiation-emergencies-faqs/