Keira Keogh (Mayo, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

1601. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the status of the review into the State’s response to Storm Éowyn. [43117/25]

James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

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 one of its most damaging, dangerous and destructive weather events with gale force/storm force winds, including severe damaging and destructive gusts of over 183 km/h, a record for Ireland.

As the Lead Government Department for severe weather, my Department's National Directorate for Fire and Emergency Management co-ordinated the ‘whole-of-Government’ response to this severe weather event through the National Emergency Co-ordination Group (NECG).

Following the conclusion of the response by the NECG, it is the responsibility of the Lead Government Department, under section 6.15 of the Strategic Emergency Management Framework to undertake a review and report to the Government Task Force (GTF).

A review of the coordinated response to Storm Éowyn is currently underway, examining all aspects of the response to Storm Éowyn, with a view to identifying the key lessons across all sectors. A Steering Group and two subgroups (Humanitarian Assistance and Critical Infrastructure & Essential Services) have been formed with a membership of officials from across Government Departments, utility and energy suppliers, Principal Response Agencies, the transport sector and local authorities. The focus of the review is on planning for future storms, measures to strengthen resilience and improving coordination across all sectors.

It is anticipated that the review findings will be submitted to the Government Task Force on Emergency Planning once the report is completed.