Micheál Carrigy (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I rise today for the first time as a Member of Dáil Éireann. I want to take this opportunity to thank the people of Longford for giving me the honour of representing them. I follow in the footsteps of General Seán MacEoin from my own native Ballinalee. I thank my family, the local Fine Gael organisation, my colleagues on Longford County Council, the members, my campaign team and those who have advised me over the last number of years and in recent times. I thank them sincerely for their support and I commit to working tirelessly on their behalf and on the behalf of the people in my constituency over the next five years.

I speak today about the severe impact of the recent storm on County Longford. It has caused widespread destruction and significant hardship for families, businesses and farmers. Indeed, 89% of households and businesses, etc., lost power in the recent storm, one of the highest percentages in the country. I want to take this opportunity to thank the various crews - the ESB crews, the Civil Defence, the family resource centres in Longford, the Longford County Council staff and the Irish Water staff members - that worked tirelessly night and day to bring back services as quickly as possible.

Many businesses and homes have suffered extensive damage and, crucially, some people in my home county are still without power.

I spoke yesterday to a 95-year-old lady who is going into her 13th day without power. A loss of electricity is not just an inconvenience; it has serious consequences for families, for older people and for businesses trying to operate. The financial burden of repairs, spoiled goods and ongoing disruptions is growing by the day.

While the local response has been outstanding and our emergency services have worked tirelessly, this is a situation that requires national urgent intervention. I call on the Government to take immediate action. A compensation scheme must be put in place for all those still without power to ensure they are not left to bear the cost of a situation that is outside of their control. Additionally, the humanitarian assistance scheme must be made available without delay, not just for lower income families but for everyone affected by the storm. Businesses and farmers also need direct support as many have suffered damage to infrastructure vital to their operations. Furthermore, the local authority requires additional funding to repair roads, to clear fallen trees and to restore essential public services. The Department of rural development must ensure flexibility within existing funding schemes to support storm recovery efforts. We are seeing storms of this magnitude more frequently and we must address the immediate crisis. We also need long-term investment in infrastructure and in resilience planning to ensure our communities are better protected in the future. We need to make sure we put generators in place in every single community. We need to see generators at our Irish Water plants. I urge the Government to act swiftly so that the people of Longford receive the support they need without delay. Rural Ireland matters. Longford matters.

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