Ciarán Ahern (Dublin South West, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I thank Sinn Féin for bringing forward this motion, which I am happy to support. Storm Éowyn swept through parts of Ireland leaving devastation in its wake, with homes severely damaged and businesses disrupted and, in some instances, destroyed. Farmers, who already have enough going on, have seen their livelihoods threatened. In the face of this crisis, we must confront the sobering truth that the response from the Government has been inadequate. It must do better.

Where I am from and represent, Dublin South-West, is a part of the country that, fortunately, was relatively unscathed by Storm Éowyn. There were some trees down, which caused disruption, danger and minor damage to homes, but nothing arose that was not dealt with promptly in the hours that followed the storm. However, I know from talking to my Labour Party colleagues and other Deputies outside of Dublin, particularly in the west, that it was and remains a very different story for them. There is serious upset and even distress. This is because of, first, the amount of time it took to get vital infrastructure like energy, Internet access and water back up and running and, second, the uncertainty around the supports that would be provided both during and after the event. I refer to supports like the humanitarian assistance scheme, which is dealt with in this motion. Households, communities, farmers and local businesses were left despondent for weeks on end and still cannot seem to get a straight answer regarding the supports that are available to them. The Government's response to this event has been a mess. I dread to think where communities, particularly in rural parts of the country, would be were it not for the heroic work done by local volunteers and organisations such as GAA clubs. They really stepped up and a massive debt of gratitude is owed to them.

In all cases, the humanitarian assistance scheme was inadequate. It either was not available or it was closed off in the blink of an eye. People were just getting over the shock of the crisis they found themselves in and the scheme was gone. It is absolutely imperative that we recognise that our strength as a nation lies not only in our ability to weather storms but in how we respond to the challenges they present.

The storms of nature may be fierce, but the storms of indifference and negligence can be even more destructive. Many over the years have lost their homes or suffered extensive damage from storms and yet the support they receive has been slow and insufficient. It is unacceptable that in the wake of such tragedies, we find ourselves again and again listening to stories of people navigating a labyrinth of bureaucracy while they endure the effects of the various natural disasters that have arrived on their doorsteps. Where is the sense of urgency? Where is the compassion that should guide us as leaders in times of crisis?

The business sector, which drives our economy and creates jobs, has also been hit hard. Local shops, restaurants and services are struggling to stay afloat, with many forced to close their doors for good. We need a clear roadmap for recovery that prioritises our small businesses and fosters an environment where they can thrive again.

We turn to our farmers, whose dedication to their land and livestock is unmatched. They work tirelessly to put food on our tables, yet they are often the first to feel the impact of natural disasters. Storm Éowyn has wreaked havoc on many of them, and the repercussions will be felt for years to come. Our farmers need immediate assistance after a storm batters them and their livelihood, not just in the form of financial aid but also in the form of resources and support to help them rebuild their farms. We must rally behind them, for when farmers thrive, our entire nation thrives.

I now want to focus, in the rest of my remarks, on what was really laid bare by Storm Éowyn and this Government's response to it, namely, how ill-prepared we are for what is to come in terms of the climate crisis. In fact, it already has come, because the climate crisis has very much arrived. Ask the people of Valencia, Los Angeles and Pakistan. The floods and the fires experienced in those places were not freak weather events; they are the climate crisis in action.

While we here in Ireland, thankfully, have not yet experienced that level of devastation, it is coming, and we have had our warning signs. Storm Éowyn was a warning sign. Storm Darragh, at the end of last year, was a warning sign, as were Storm Ellen, the beast from the east in 2018 and Storm Ophelia in 2017. They were all warning signs and we need to get our house in order. I listened this afternoon to many Government backbenchers decry that many of their constituents still remain without broadband. No part of this island has been or will be immune to the arrival of serious storms. We have seen devastation arrive in every part of the country in recent times and it is only going one way. It is only going to get worse.

On the east coast, in Wexford alone, we have seen snowstorms wreaking havoc. There is flooding almost annually in Enniscorthy as they await Government intervention on a long-promised flood relief scheme. We have seen flash flooding in New Ross and a tornado wreaking unbelievable havoc in Clongeen and Foulksmills.

Storm Éowyn brought serious damage to communities all over the country. Notwithstanding the fact a life was lost, and we send our deepest sympathies to the family of Kacper Dudek, the damage done by extreme weather events will be multiple times worse in the future as climate change accelerates. More communities will be devastated, more business facing closure and more lives lost.

We need to build up our resilience because Storm Éowyn has clearly shown we are nowhere near prepared to deal with what is to come, and that means several things. It means having a robust and properly functioning standing programme of supports for households, communities and small businesses in the form of financial and infrastructural supports, services and so on. As this motion alludes to, the humanitarian assistance scheme is ad hoc, inadequate and too narrow in its provisions. It means investment in climate mitigation infrastructure such as flood defences, as well as dealing with issues around insurance for households and businesses where they cannot get flood insurance despite being in at-risk areas.

Crucially, it means investing in our renewable and sustainable energy infrastructure as well. Many households went weeks without energy, partly due to the fact they were in particularly remote areas or were one-off homes, meaning it was more difficult and time-consuming for the ESB to restore power to these individual homes. Some got through it using home batteries powered by solar panels. That should be a lesson to us and part of a roadmap for the future. We should be looking at targeted investment and grants for legacy one-off households and businesses that are particularly vulnerable to power outages to make solar panels and batteries more accessible to offer that extra level of protection.

We should also be targeting grants for EVs to rural areas. Besides the obvious benefits in respect of transport emission reductions in areas that have transport poverty and are not served well by public transport, it was noted by Professor Hannah Daly of UCC that many people discovered the vehicle-to-load function on EV cars, which meant they could draw electricity from their EV's battery to power their household essentials like lighting, fridges, medical devices and so forth for up to a week, in the aftermath of Storm Éowyn. There are solutions out there.

Let us be clear: this is not merely a question of resources but a question of values. As a society, we must ask ourselves what we stand for. Do we stand for a Government that operates in a vacuum, detached from the reality of what is happening around it - just ask its backbenchers; we heard them today - or do we stand for a Government that listens, responds with compassion and urgency and puts the welfare of its people at the forefront? The answer should be obvious.

In the face of adversity, we must act swiftly together. We must demand accountability and insist that immediate action be taken when required. We need to build up our climate mitigation and resilience urgently. We must call for a comprehensive recovery plan that encompasses all affected sectors - homeowners, businesses, and farmers alike. This plan must not only address the immediate needs but also lay the groundwork for long-term resilience. We cannot afford to wait for the next storm to remind us of the fragility of our systems.

We must also harness the power of our community. Neighbours helping neighbours, local organisations stepping up to provide assistance and individuals coming together to support one another - this is the spirit that defines us as Irish people. Let us channel that spirit into action, advocating for change and ensuring that our voices are heard loud and clear. We must not let a tide of inaction wash away promises and commitments made after every major weather event.

Ultimately, households, small businesses and farmers around the country are struggling now as a result of Storm Éowyn. They need clarity and support, and I urge the Government to heed this motion and act on it urgently.

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