AROUND 89,000 PREMISES around the country remain without power this evening as crews continue restoration work in the wake of Storm Éowyn, with the Government facing anger from communities about the national response.

ESB Networks said that 285 technicians from Austria, Finland, France and Britain are on the ground in the worst impacted areas supporting over 2,500 local crews, with further support set to arrive from Germany, Netherlands and Norway in the coming days. 

It said that some customers in areas with the largest number of faults may see their estimated restoration times change over the coming days.

After senior ministers were briefed on developments today, a spokesman for the Tánaiste said that most schools left without power would be reconnected by the weekend at the latest.

It is expected that the vast majority of people affected by outages will have power restored by Friday, with it taking further time to reconnect more isolated areas.

Around 2,800 premises are still without water, according to Uisce Éireann. Water supply returned to an additional 12,000 people since yesterday, with generators now installed at almost all plants, pumping stations and reservoirs. 

Alternative water supplies are being provided in areas where water has not returned, with Uisce Éireann saying it is tankering water to treated water reservoirs to resupply smaller schemes. 

Pressure has mounted on the Government to find ways to build resilience so that the country can be better prepared for the next storm.

The coalition has argued it is reacting to an “unprecedented” storm and that 333 emergency response hubs supported by the State have been established to help people without electricity.

Minister of State with responsibility for Disability Hildegarde Naughton today conceded that the government “do need to plan better the next time” a similar storm occurs. 

People ‘really angry’

Speaking on RTÉ’s News at One programme, the Fianna Fáil TD for Galway West accepted that it took too long to open emergency response hubs in the wake of the storm. 

“When something like this happens, these designated hubs need to be identified now for the next time a storm like this happens,” Naughton said. 

“These community centres, the local people will be able to identify the correct area – be it in Carraroe or Oranmore, wherever – that those centres need to have generators in place, showering facilities, where people can get hot food, they can charge their phones and they will know exactly where to go when this happens.”

She said emergency services are doing “trojan work in very, very difficult circumstances”.

I want to just reassure people who are really angry – it is at boiling point – I hear them. They are contacting my office, and we are doing everything we can to get our ESB restored.

“This was unprecedented, but we do need to make sure that we’re planning strategically for something like this, and that will come from the local areas, because they know the right locations  for these designated centres.”

Seventeen generators have been sent to Ireland by Poland and Denmark, with more due to arrive from Romania on Friday. They will be brought by the Defence Forces to the areas that need them.

A spokesman for Tánaiste Simon Harris said he had been informed that the Civil Defence is helping to move generators and bring elderly people to hubs, as well as carry out drone surveys to help the ESB.

Harris said after the meeting: “I want to thank those involved on the ground in what has been an enormous humanitarian effort in response to an unprecedented weather event.

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“There is still much work to do but every effort is being made to restore power and water to the homes that need it as quickly as possible.”

In an update from the National Emergency Co-ordination Group (NECG) this evening, Local Government Minister James Browne said “nothing is being left off the table in terms of resources, personnel or commitment”.

“I would like to sincerely thank everyone at community and national level who has worked so hard and for long hours to ensure we respond as best we can,” he said. 

Safety warning

The ESB reiterated its warning to people to be safe in the wake of the storm.

“We still have many faults on the electricity network and have been made aware of several instances of potentially very dangerous incidents where members of the public have unknowingly approached fallen electricity infrastructure, particularly in the worst impacted areas of the country,” it said.

“Following a significant weather event like Storm Éowyn, fallen debris can prevent people from seeing hidden risks such as wires entangled into trees and branches.

If you come across fallen wires or damaged electricity network, never, ever touch or approach these as they are live and extremely dangerous.”

The ESB urged people to report damage to electricity infrastructure by calling 1800 372 999.

With reporting from Press Association