Keira Keogh (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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324. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the status of the review of the State’s response to storm Éowyn. [49218/25]

James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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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 coordinating a response to severe weather, the National Directorate for Fire & Emergency Management (part of my Department) 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 was undertaken by my Department, examining all aspects of the response to Storm Éowyn, with a view to identifying the key lessons across all sectors and the implementation of recommendations. A Steering Group and two subgroups (Humanitarian Assistance and Critical Infrastructure & Essential Services) were formed with a membership of officials from across Government, utility and energy suppliers, Principal Response Agencies, the transport sector and local authorities. The focus of the review was on planning for future storms and strengthening resilience and coordination across all sectors.

A draft has now been submitted to the Government Task Force on Emergency Planning for review prior to submission to Government.