Written answers
Tuesday, 18 February 2025
Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government
Weather Events
Ryan O'Meara (Tipperary North, Fianna Fail)
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454. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government in the wake of storm Éowyn, if his Department will take measures to further support local authorities in the dissemination of information to the public relating to local, regional and national supports and services available to the public during periods of poor weather and electricity blackouts, particularly given the increasing regularity and severity of these storms; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6161/25]
James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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My Department is assigned the Lead Government Department role for seven specific emergency scenarios by the Government’s Strategic Emergency Management Framework, published by the Office of Emergency Planning in 2017. The seven scenarios for which my Department is designated to co-ordinate a response are listed below:
- Severe Weather
- Flooding
- Water Supply/ Infrastructure
- Fire/ Explosion
- Building Collapse
- Hazardous Materials
As the extent of the damage to the electricity distribution network emerged on Saturday 25 January, following from a full damage assessment by the ESB, local authorities moved to establish Emergency Hubs. 380 hubs were in place at the peak of the restoration operation. These hubs were concentrated in areas where the worst impacts of Storm Éowyn were leading to extended restoration times for communities. While local authorities operated many of the Emergency Hubs, they also worked with community organisations to establish hubs in a variety of sports and community settings, operated by local volunteers.
Given the power and telecommunications issues that were experienced in some parts of the country, phone and internet were impacted, making communications with communities more challenging. Local authorities and other response agencies, such as the HSE, An Garda Síochána, Uisce Éireann, ESB, used a myriad of methods to communicate with the public. This included local radio, direct contact, especially with vulnerable people, and community groups and An Post also provided support, with Mayo County Council arranging a leaflet drop through An Post, for example.
A full review of the response to Storm Éowyn will be completed, as is normally the case with severe weather events, and any lessons or good practice, including in respect of local communications, will be built into future planning.
Ryan O'Meara (Tipperary North, Fianna Fail)
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455. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government in the wake of storm Éowyn, if his Department will take measures to liaise with local authority local co-ordination groups, crisis management teams, severe weather activation teams, and any other relevant teams and personnel to assess and review their response and capabilities at local level, with the view of identifying and strengthening the supports they may require at national level; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6163/25]
Ryan O'Meara (Tipperary North, Fianna Fail)
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456. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if the National Emergency Co-ordination Group will reconvene all relevant bodies to assess and review response efforts to storm Éowyn once all emergency efforts are stood down; and if there will be an opportunity for organisations and bodies to engage with the group to further inform future storm responses. [6164/25]
James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 455 and 456 together.
My Department is assigned the Lead Government Department role for seven specific emergency scenarios by the Government approved Strategic Emergency Management (SEM), published by the Office of Emergency Planning in 2017. The seven scenarios for which my Department is designated to co-ordinate a response are listed below:
- Severe Weather
- Flooding
- Water Supply/ Infrastructure
- Fire/ Explosion
- Building Collapse
- Hazardous Materials
- Landslides
This co-ordinating of the response to severe weather at national level is essential to ensure full situational awareness, effective public communication, cross-sectoral collaboration and prioritisation of resources as the response transitions to the restoration phase. This co-ordinated approach to handling emergencies and their aftermath is activated frequently in response to Atlantic winter storms.
Storm Éowyn was named by the UK Met Office on Tuesday 21 January 2025, the fifth named storm of the 2024-25 windstorm season. Widespread Red and Orange weather warnings were issued across Ireland and the United Kingdom ahead of the rapidly strengthening storm. Ireland experienced gale /storm force winds, including severe damaging and destructive gusts of over 183 km/h, a record for Ireland. This unprecedented storm caused extensive damage and destruction to the ESB distribution network, water supplies and telecommunications networks.
As is the case following all severe weather events, and in line with section 6.15 of the Government approved Strategic Emergency Management Framework, my Department conducted a detailed review of the response to Storm Éowyn, identifying key lessons and how learning can be carried forward in to future responses, working with colleagues in the Office of Emergency Planning who have the mandate for cross sectoral emergency planning. Once the review is completed and approved by the Government Task Force on Emergency Planning, it will be submitted to Government.
Ryan O'Meara (Tipperary North, Fianna Fail)
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457. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government in the wake of storm Éowyn and following on from his Departments work as part of the National Emergency Co-ordination Group, if consideration will be given to local co-ordination groups being established in all affected counties in the wake of a storm, as opposed to just those worst affected (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6165/25]
James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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My Department is assigned the Lead Government Department role for seven specific emergency scenarios by the Government’s Strategic Emergency Management (SEM) framework, published by the Office of Emergency Planning in 2017. The seven scenarios for which my Department is designated to co-ordinate a response are listed below:
- Severe Weather
- Flooding
- Water Supply/ Infrastructure
- Fire/ Explosion
- Building Collapse
- Hazardous Materials
As the extent of the damage to the electricity distribution network emerged on Saturday 25 January, following from a full damage assessment by the ESB, local authorities moved to establish Emergency Hubs. 380 hubs were in place at the peak of the restoration operation. These hubs were concentrated in areas where the worst impacts of Storm Éowyn were leading to extended restoration times for communities. While local authorities operated some of the Emergency Hubs, they also worked with community organisations to establish hubs in a variety of sports and community settings, operated by local volunteers.
This Department is now working with all local authorities to build the activation of Emergency Hubs into the severe weather planning process, building on the good practice identified following Storm Éowyn. This will enable the rapid activation of Emergency Hubs to reduce the impact on communities from prolonged power outages.
Ryan O'Meara (Tipperary North, Fianna Fail)
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458. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government following serious weather events in recent weeks, if his Department plans to work with local authorities to expand their snow and ice management resources during cold spells, given the impact they can have on travel, access to services, and commercial businesses; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6166/25]
James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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My Department undertakes the Lead Government Department role, as set out in the Strategic Emergency Management (SEM) Framework (2017), in relation to the coordination of national level responses to severe weather and flooding emergencies, where warranted. My Department's National Directorate for Fire and Emergency Management undertakes this role and works closely with local authority Severe Weather Assessment Teams and Met Éireann.
Local authorities are designated as the lead agencies for coordinating a response to severe weather, including severe cold weather. They have established Severe Weather Assessment Teams in place, monitoring Met Éireann weather warnings, High Tide Advisories and the European Flood Awareness System (EFAS) advisories. Local authorities also have Severe Weather/ Flood Plans in place to support the response to weather emergencies.
With regard to local authority snow and ice management resources, local authorities have Winter Maintenance Plans in place in line with the Department of Transport. Funding of winter service infrastructure, operations and salt treatment supplies are a matter for Transport Infrastructure Ireland and the Department of Transport. Any expansion of winter services would be a matter for local authorities to consider, working with Transport Infrastructure Ireland and the Department of Transport.
Ryan O'Meara (Tipperary North, Fianna Fail)
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459. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if he plans to engage with the business sector, particularly SMEs, following requests to temporarily reduce commercial rates to ease financial burdens during and following serious weather events, like experienced in recent weeks; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6167/25]
James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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Local authorities are under a statutory obligation to levy rates on any property used for commercial purposes in accordance with the details entered in the valuation lists prepared by Tailte Éireann under the Valuation Acts 2001 to 2020.
The amount of rates liable on a property is determined by multiplying the valuation of the property set by Tailte Éireann by the Annual Rate on Valuation (ARV) set by the local authority. The ARV is decided by the elected members of each local authority in their annual budget and its determination is a reserved function of a local authority. I have no role in this regard.
Rates income is a very important contribution to the cost of services provided by local authorities such as roads, footpaths, the public realm, litter management, public lighting, development control, parks and open spaces; all essential elements to create the environment in which businesses can prosper.
Local authorities are fully aware of the challenges facing many ratepayers and work with ratepayers to agree flexible payment options that reflect capacity to pay.
The Local Government Rates and Other Matters Act 2019 Act contains provisions to add to the suite of options already available to local authorities to support local businesses and ratepayers. These include new rates waiver schemes, to be decided by local authority members. It provides for local authorities to make schemes, as part of the annual budget process, to support local and national policy objectives, by waiving the paying of commercial rates in certain circumstances. It is open for a local authority to design a waiver scheme as long as it supports county development plans, local area plans, local economic and community plans and the national planning framework.
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