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LAST UPDATE | 26 Jan
THE DAMAGE CAUSED by Storm Éowyn to Ireland’s electricity grid is “extensive”, according to a Government minister, with ESB saying that 100,000 will remain without power until the week after next.
In its latest update this evening, ESB Networks said it had restored power supply to 490,000 homes, farms and businesses, but that 278,000 customers remain without supply .
Earlier, the utility said that the vast majority of people should have electricity restored by Friday, 31 January, but that an estimated 100,000 will have their electricity restored in the week following that.
Brodband provider Eir also said it was continuing its recovery operation to restore broadband to people affected, after what it called “the most significant weather event in living memory in terms of its widespread and significant impact on the fixed and mobile telecommunications network”.
“Since Friday, eir has restored fixed and broadband services to 110,000 homes and businesses, while service has been restored to more than 500 mobile sites in the same period,” the provider said in a statement.
“Currently it is estimated that 94,000 homes and businesses customers remain without broadband.”
Earlier, incoming Social Protection and Rural Affairs Minister Dara Calleary said that the Government was “throwing everything” at the issue.
He also confirmed that the Humanitarian Assistance Scheme is available to provide support to those living in properties directly affected by Storm Éowyn.
“The damage is extensive but we are throwing everything at it, I can assure people we are throwing everything at it,” Calleary told RTÉ’s The Week in Politics.
He said electrical technicians from England had travelled to help address the issue, but because of storm damage in Scotland “we don’t have the kind of pool we’d normally have”. He said technicians were also travelling from France.
Calleary told RTÉ that while initial supports would be means tested, he said the Government would be “flexible” with regards to people’s needs.
It has since been confirmed that the Department of Social Protection will adopt a three-stage approach.
The first stage will provide emergency support payments for items such as food and clothing, and this Stage is not income tested and is based on the immediate need of impacted individuals.
The second stage will replace kitchen appliances and basic furniture, while stage three will focus on damage to a household’s primary residency.
The second and third stages are means tested, and the income limits are €50,000 for a single person, €90,000 for a couple, and €15,000 per dependent child.
A spokesperson said “reduced or tapered level of support may be provided in cases where your household income is above the limits”.
Speaking earlier to RTÉ, an ESB spokesperson said crews have been out over the weekend to assess the damage.
“Based on that information, we’ve updated the all the restoration times now in PowerCheck.ie,” said the spokesperson.
“It really is unprecedented, the damage that we’re facing out there now on the ground.”
Ireland has activated the EU Civil Protection Mechanism and has made a request for high-capacity generators to support critical infrastructure operators.
Local authorities will also establish, 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.
Not all local authorities will need to establish Emergency Response Hubs.
Meanwhile, around 109,000 people across the country still have no water as of lunchtime today. An additional 112,000 people are now being supplied by schemes where generators have been deployed by Uisce Éireann crews.
Supplies for a further 126,000 people are at risk in areas where power is yet to be restored.
Areas most impacted are along the West Coast and Midlands and include Galway, Mayo, Clare, Cavan, Monaghan, Westmeath, Donegal and Longford.
Uisce Eireann repair crews are on the ground across the country working to restore water supplies and operations at wastewater plants.
Crews are also actively sourcing and transferring generators to sites where power has not been restored.
Head of Water Operations at Uisce Éireann, Margaret Attridge noted that while positive progress had been made overnight, the number of people experiencing loss of supply due to power outages remains significant.
“Our crews are on the ground in all impacted areas working to restore water services as quickly as possible, but given the extent of the damage to the power network, it may take some time before full service is restored everywhere,” said Attridge.
“In locations where water supplies have been impacted for longer periods, we are deploying alternative water supplies.
“Details of these supplies and their locations are being posted across our website and social media channels as they become available,” she added.
A series of weather warnings were in place last night and into this morning and early afternoon, with the majority of them now expired.
A Status Yellow warning for Cork, Kerry and Waterford will come into effect tonight at 11pm and last until 9am tomorrow morning.
With reporting from Cormac Fitzgerald
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