Denis O'Donovan (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Before I call the Leader, I would also like to offer my sympathies to the families of those who lost their lives in the storm. I compliment the meteorological staff who, for once, got it right. They are much maligned for getting it wrong. They predicted the storm five days out and it was easy for the people in power. They got it spot on and they more or less told us when the storm would hit the south-west coast, which is unusual for Met Éireann. They have often got a lot of stick for not getting it right over the years but, in this instance, they tracked the storm clinically and correctly for five days and they deserve credit for ensuring those in authority, the public services that were engaged and volunteers who did tremendous work were alert and active when the storm struck.