Albert Dolan (Galway East, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Storm Éowyn was one of the most brutal storms to hit Ireland in living memory. In Galway we saw wind speeds of up to 183 km/h tearing down trees, damaging homes and leaving thousands without power and water. Families were left in freezing houses, businesses were forced to close and farmers struggled to keep operations running. It was a devastating event and for many the hardship went on for days.

In the face of this destruction, we also saw incredible dedication from those working on the front lines of the response. I want to take a moment to sincerely thank the staff of ESB Networks, Irish Water, our local councils, farmers and community groups that responded. These workers braved treacherous conditions to restore power, reconnect water supplies and clear roads, often working long hours in difficult circumstances. Their efforts ensured that services were brought back as quickly as possible and for that we owe them gratitude.

One of the biggest vulnerabilities we saw in our water supply was in the mid-Galway water scheme which serves over 8,000 people who were without water for six days because there was no back-up power. This is not sustainable. We need to ensure that Irish Water has the resources to install back-up generators for key water schemes so that critical services are protected when the next storm comes. Our electricity network was also severely impacted. ESB Networks worked around the clock to restore power but the scale of outages showed how exposed our grid remains. A major issue was fallen trees bringing down power lines. One simple, practical step we can take is to allow ESB Networks to carry out essential tree-cutting along power lines during the summer months when conditions are safest. This is a common-sense measure that will help to prevent widespread outages in the future.

Galway and the west have always been resilient but resilience is not a strategy. We need real investment in our infrastructure, stronger power networks, more secure water supplies and proper support for those impacted. Storm Éowyn must be a turning point. The next storm will come but we have the power to ensure that we are better prepared. Let us act now.

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