Tsunami warning system for Ireland
Since the Indian Ocean tsunami of December 2004, considerable international attention has been directed at establishing an effective international warning system for the world's oceans and seas. The International Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO has established an Intergovernmental Coordination Group for the North Eastern Atlantic and Mediterranean Tsunami Warning System (NEAMTWS) to deliver an initial system in the Mediterranean by end 2007 and a system for the whole region by 2011, which will focus on linking up existing national systems. GSI represents Ireland in this group. In parallel with this process, Ireland is working towards developing its national TWS capability.

Following discussion at the February 2005 meeting of the Government Taskforce on Emergency Planning, the Geological Survey of Ireland (GSI) was mandated to develop a concept for a tsunami warning system for Ireland in conjunction with other interested stakeholders, both national and international. The concept developed was approved at the meeting of the Government Task Force on Emergency Planning in October 2006. The Government has recently mandated the setting up of an inter-Departmental committee to develop a fully designed and costed proposal. The committee will be chaired by the Department of Communications, Marine and Natural Resources with representation from Department of Environment, Heritage and Local Government, Department of Education and Science, Department of Defence, and Department of Finance. A technical group will comprise GSI, the Marine Institute, Met Eireann and Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies. The team is expected to complete the proposal and submit it to Government for approval later in 2007.

In an Irish context, tsunamis are low probability events that would have very significant impacts. Damaging tsunamis could affect Ireland from several geologically feasible scenarios. For example, recent modelling of a Lisbon earthquake scenario, conducted jointly with the UK, predicts waves up to 4m high along the south Irish coast. The proposed warning system could provide alerts up to four hours before a tsunami might reach our coastline. Its benefits for an informed public in such circumstances are obvious and very significant.

For further information on Ireland's tsunami warning system please contact Brian McConnell at 01 678 2850 or by e-mail.