D Thursday, January 7, 2010 News National emergency may be declared as cold bites AN EMERGENCY committee is to assemble this morning to discuss the impact of the current adverse weather conditions. Representatives from the Depart- ment of Transport, the Taoiseach, the Environment, Social Welfare and Health as well as a representative from Dublin City Council will attend the meeting. The move follows calls from oppo- sition parties for the prolonged severe weather to be treated as a national emergency. A spokesman from the Department of Transport said Minister Noel Dempsey was out of the country but keeping abreast of the situation through officials and colleagues, and had requested the meeting. The spokesman would not be drawn on the possibility that a national emer- gency may be declared. Earlier yesterday, the Department of Transport acknowledged the excel- lent work of local authorities in mit- igating the impact of the adverse weather on the road network. The Department commended the unremitting efforts of road workers to ensure, as far as possible, that na- tional and other priority roads are salted/gritted in their area. It said all local authorities have been asked to circulate accurate informa- tion on road conditions and to con- tinue to liaise with the Garda and the Health Services Executive. It also recommended local councils consider putting in place some of the arrangements set out in local emer- gency plans, without necessarily in- voking the full plan. Meanwhile, Labours Tommy Broughan has called for a national By Joanne Ahern Local authorities are clearly unable to cope More than 400 on trolleys in A&Es as ice-related accidents pile pressure on services P6 weather emergency to be declared. At least when we experienced seri- ous flooding problems in November, theGovernmentEmergencyResponse Co-ordinating Committee was meet- ing on a daily basis. Why has this committee not been mobilised to deal with this emergency? Fine Gaels defence spokesman Jimmy Deenihan called for the De- fence Forces to be deployed to worst hit areas as part of a national emer- gency plan. Road conditions across the country are getting worse, flights are being grounded and many public transport routes suspended, he said. With conditions set to worsen over the next few days, Ireland should be placed on an emergency footing. Mr Deenihan warned that local au- thorities were clearly unable to cope with the situation and called for di- rect intervention and leadership from the Government. Cheeky: A fieldmouse sucks on an icicle on a fence in Northhamptonshire, UK Teenagers make the most of the snow in the UK A cyclist braves the snow in central Dublin yesterday All is quiet: A road closed sign is becoming a familiar sight in recent days index.html2.html3.html4.html5.html6.html7.html8.html9.html10.html11.html12.html13.html14.html15.html16.html17.html18.html19.html20.html21.html22.html23.html24.html25.html26.html27.html28.html29.html30.html31.html