Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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107. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government if additional legislative or regulatory measures need to be implemented by his Department to protect critical infrastructure and ensure security of energy supplies particularly to rural communities, where severe difficulties were caused for households, businesses, farmers and for both statutory and voluntary providers of essential services following Storm Éowyn; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49277/25]

Seán Fleming (Laois, Fianna Fail)
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108. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government his plans bolster the storm resilience of the electricity grid. [48952/25]

John Connolly (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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109. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government for an update on the implementation of the Winter 2025 Grid Resilience Plan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48428/25]

Martin Daly (Roscommon-Galway, Fianna Fail)
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114. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government for an update on the action he is taking following the unprecedented power outages caused by storm Éowyn, which exposed critical vulnerabilities arising from unmanaged vegetation and commercial forestry close to electricity infrastructure. [48975/25]

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)
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116. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government the measures his Department is undertaking to strengthen energy security; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48948/25]

Pa Daly (Kerry, Sinn Fein)
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130. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government the measures he is taking to prepare for the impact of storms this upcoming autumn, winter and beyond; the further measures he is taking to ensure that people are better protected than they were in 2024; if he has met with the Minister for Social Protection to discuss the humanitarian assistance that will be available in the aftermath of extreme weather events this autumn, winter and beyond; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49108/25]

Martin Daly (Roscommon-Galway, Fianna Fail)
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143. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government if he will report on implementation of the ESB Networks Winter 2025 Grid Resilience Plan. [48976/25]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal East, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 107, 108, 109, 114, 116, 130 and 143 together.

Following Storm Éowyn, I asked ESB Networks (ESB-N) to prepare as a priority a Winter 2025 Resilience Plan to enhance the resilience of the grid in the most vulnerable locations for the upcoming winter. This has been progressing since April and the actions include:-

1. ESB-N has made hazards safe and progressed remedial works needed to refurbish the network.
2. ESB-N continues to work with Coillte and the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine to identify segments of the network at highest future risk. Timber harvesters have been procured and during the summer began to cut timber according to this prioritisation.
3. Emergency stocks of spare parts and materials are being replenished.
4. Staffing levels and available contractor resources are being increased through provision of targeted training programmes. In addition, my Department has progressed the issue of permits for skilled workers from outside the EU to advance urgent forestry work.
5. ESB-N is leading a working group at EU level to establish formal arrangements for mutual aid during extreme weather events.