HOUSEHOLDS ARE EXPECTED to shortly be advised to keep a small amount of cash at their households in case of emergencies, replacing previous advice.

Tánaiste Simon Harris flagged power outages due to weather conditions and the threat of cyber attacks as prime reasons for the expected change.

Speaking to reporters at Fine Gael’s agriculture and rural development conference in Co Kildare today, Harris confirmed reports this morning. He said there is a “piece of work” being done by the Office of Emergency Planning at present.

“We saw, for example, during Storm Éowyn, and the situation where, what do you do when all the power goes out? What do you do when the electricity goes out?”

He continued: “We’ve become so reliant on technology and power now, and what levels of preparation are prudent for us to take – certainly not any sort of diktat from government – but more advice based on experiences from other jurisdictions as well, and that will be finalised in the time ahead.”

Harris added that there’s “always a balance” to be struck and safety in terms of people’s homes and the risk of burglary are amongst things to be considered.

The work remains ongoing and has not yet reached a conclusion, the Tánaiste said.

Similar advice has been issued in other European countries, such as Austria, Finland, and the Netherlands, which recommend keeping a sum of between €70 and €100 per household member in case of emergencies, or enough to pay for essentials for 72 hours.