Uachtaráin na hEireann marks 75 years of Civil Defence in Ireland
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From: Department of Defence
- Published on: 8 May 2025
- Last updated on: 8 May 2025
Today, 8 May 2025, President Michael D. Higgins hosted officers and volunteers from Civil Defence units across the country to mark 75 years of Civil Defence in Ireland.
The President paid tribute to decades of service by Civil Defence Volunteers stating;
“Sabina and I are delighted to mark 75 years since the establishment of the Civil Defence.
"Whether it be through its service in medical rescue, search and rescue, emergency response, radiation monitoring, or community assistance, the Civil Defence volunteers have shown, time and again, their dedication and response capability in support of the primary emergency services and their local communities.
"I take this opportunity to commend all members, past and present, for this work and for their spirit of volunteerism, giving back to their local community and indeed to wider society.”
The Civil Defence is organised on a local authority basis across the State. The organisation was first established by the government in December 1950, in preparation for a potential nuclear war which was then seen as distinctly possible. At that time, the emphasis was on war response, including search and rescue, medical first aid, and welfare through rest centres.
The modern Civil Defence has evolved into a professionalised volunteer service, specialising in the use of drones and thermal cameras for search and rescue, and operating a modern fleet of response vehicles and boats. The organisation supports the Principal Response Agencies in a variety of emergency and non-emergency duties, including medical response and extreme weather response.
Across the country, Civil Defence supports more than 3,000 duties every year. Many of the non-emergency response duties are in support of local communities. To ensure it can continue to serve local communities, Civil Defence needs volunteers from all communities, and is actively recruiting across the country for a range of skillsets.
Notes
This will be the first of a number of events throughout the year to commemorate this anniversary and to recognise the commitment of volunteers over the years.
For any additional information or inquiries, we have representatives available for local interviews upon request.
Photographs will available through Maxwell’s Photography.