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ESB Networks crews and partner contractors pictured near Dunmanway in West Cork during restoration works in the aftermath of Storm Éowyn.
Michael O'Sullivan
Storm Éowyn
Taoiseach welcomes assistance from UK electricity engineers but normal ‘pool’ not available
Social Protection Minister Dara Calleary said ‘we don’t have the kind of pool we’d normally have’ due to significant storm damage in Scotland.
TAOISEACH MICHEÁL MARTIN has thanked his British counterpart Keir Starmer for the help provided by UK engineering crews as ESB restores power after Storm Éowyn.
As of this morning, around 246,000 ESB customers are still without power.
While ESB said the vast majority of those impacted by Storm Éowyn will have their supply restored by Friday, it expects that around 100,000 customers will have to wait until the following week.
At the peak of the power outages on Friday morning, around 768,000 customers were without power.
Meanwhile in the North, around 65,000 people remain without power and Northern Ireland Electricity (NIE) has advised that it could be 3 February before all properties are reconnected.
Some 52 engineers from England had been scheduled to arrive on the island of Ireland on Saturday, with 30 to be utilised by NIE and 22 to assist ESB Networks in the Republic, and further resources to follow.
ESB Networks crews and partner contractors pictured on site near Dunmanway in West Cork during restoration works in the aftermath of Storm Éowyn. Michael O'Sullivan
Michael O'Sullivan
In a statement today, Martin said he spoke with Starmer earlier and that the impact of Storm Éowyn and ongoing recovery efforts were among the issues raised.
He thanked the British prime minister for his assistance and said that it came about “as part of a mutual association agreement among electricity companies”.
However, Social Protection Minister Dara Calleary today told RTÉ that Ireland doesn’t “have the kind of pool we’d normally have” in terms of electrical engineers because of the significant storm damage in Scotland.
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Speaking to RTÉ this morning, Calleary said: “We’ve asked for support from other European countries, but there have been storms in other European countries.
“So that skill, which normally would be available, is going to be slower.
“We will be throwing everything to try and make sure that we get people reconnected.”
Meanwhile, Brian Tapley, ESB Networks Regional Manager, this morning told RTÉ that it will take “most of next week” before everyone has their power restored.
He also noted that the worst impacted areas are Galway, Mayo, Sligo, Cavan, and some parts of the Midland and it’s here where it will be next week until power is restored.
Tapley added that where people have access to phones or the internet, they should consult PowerCheck.ie for information on estimated restoration times.
He also said ESB is working with the government at Emergency Response Hubs to provide information face-to-face for people who have no power or mobile phone signal.
Local authorities have established, in the worst affected areas, Emergency Response Hubs to assist people with basic needs such as water, hot food, phone charging, broadband access, shower and clothes washing facilities.
However, not all local authorities will need to establish Emergency Response Hubs.
Meanwhile, Tapley noted that outside of urban centres, there is a predominantly overhead electrical network and that Ireland has “around four times the overhead network per capita compared to the UK or Europe”.
He pointed to this as a reason why Ireland is experiencing a higher level of power outages than the UK.
Tapley added that the overhead network design is the most cost-effective one and is common outside of urban centres.
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'We got the full smack of it': Families on the devastating damage to their homes from Storm Éowyn
“The overhead network is more exposed to the elements and when it comes to repairs, you do a lot of repair effort, and it might only restore small amounts of customers because those customers are not based in urban centres.”
He added that the wooden poles holding up the overhead networks are maintained every year and replaced regularly.
“It’s not that the network isn’t built to the highest standards, it’s just sheer scale and the wind speeds that impact the country,” said Tapley.
He added that there is “no shortage of people” working to restore power and that ESB will get more support from the UK this week, as well as support coming from Europe.
“But other utilities are experiencing the impact of the recent storms, so some of those can only come to help us when they’ve sorted out their own utilities at our own location,” said Tapley.
Elsewhere, Irish Farmers’ Association President Francie Gorman called for all necessary resources are deployed to repair the damage caused by Storm Ėoywn.
“For farms which are at the busiest time of the year, every day without electricity or water is very challenging,” said Gorman.
He added: “We need to assess our infrastructure in the aftermath and see what can be done to better prepare for this.
“This review should involve all stakeholders to see what steps can be taken to minimise disruption when we encounter similar events in the future.”
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@Brian Molloy: They can’t be ‘illegal’ until they’re vetted. They can’t be vetted until they’re here. Deportations were up in 2024 on the previous year. Laws and compassion are not always mutually exclusive.
@Brian Molloy: You lot had your chance during the election. “People are waking up”, we were told. “People have had enough”, we were told. “We speak for the silent majority”, we were told. In the end, the only people that were actually told anything were those spreading hate – they were told where to go.
@Maire Hicks: Unfortunately, these unvetted migrants (85% destroyed docunentation before arriving at Dublin Airport in 2023) will keep flooding in when we have our multi billion euro taxpayer funded woke NGOs like the Irish Refugee Council with stuff like this on their website:
”You can collect your PPS Number 4 working days after you applied for asylum at the IPO.
When you collect your PPSN, you can apply for a weekly payment of 113 euro.
You should also be able to apply for an additional needs payment of 100 euro”
3 months later after processing, when they are granted refugee status or leave to remain, they’re entitled to council housing/HAP and family reunification to bring the rest of the family, all paid for from start to finish by the Irish taxpayer.
Now that revenue from cigarettes has fallen sharply, we need to find a way to recoup that money. Slap tax and excise duty fees on vapes and E-liquid and make sure the only vapes and E-liquid sold in the state are the ones we get a massive cut out of. Never mind the health benefits for smokers who switch to vapes, we need to spin this as vapes that do not include warnings “as gaeilge” are dangerous and only sold by crime gangs.
@Paul Bannon: Exactly. Imagine trying to get the off cancer sticks, and you’re now being told you’re as good as dead anyway. With no science to back it up. Mad Ted..
@Paul Gorry: Not to mention all the hard drugs getting in to the country but then what does one expect from a country that puts the Irish version of a navy out to sea to patrol our waters with their guns not working.
@normally go through toll twice a day (M50), that will stop!!: the producers of ineffective nicotine patches and gums certainly are. HSE wastes a ton of tax payer money on them.
The Journal’s manic anti vape campaign continues. Inadvertently keeping smokers smoking. Shameful. (PS to sub Ed- you can’t “smoke an “e cigarette” but you probably know that already.) Vaping saves lives. Anyone involved in this campaign should be ashamed.
I’m not a huge fan of vapes myself but these boneheaded regulations are only going to make the situation worse. Multiple studies have shown that vaping 95% safer than smoking. Strict regulations make it harder for smokers to switch, keeping more people addicted to combustible cigarettes, which are far more harmful. Countries with relaxed vaping laws have seen declines in smoking rates, while places with bans or heavy restrictions have seen increases in cigarette sales. When legal products are banned or overregulated, black markets thrive. Bootleg vapes and unregulated e-liquids are more dangerous than legal, quality-controlled products. Adults should have the right to choose less harmful alternatives to smoking without excessive government interference. Let’s lift these restrictions now.
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