'We weren't slow in accepting Storm Éowyn help' – Taoiseach 

Noelani Teevan completes her homework by candlelight at her home in Co Cavan where the family have had no power, water, or heat since Thursday night due to Storm Éowyn. Picture: Lorraine Teevan

The Taoiseach has rejected suggestions that Ireland was slow to respond to offers of help from the EU to deal with the aftermath of Storm Éowyn.

About 160,000 premises remain without power, and many have been told that their electricity may not return until February 5.

Uisce Éireann said that about 31,000 people remain without a water supply.

Repair crews from mainland Europe have now arrived in Ireland and 17 generators are en route to provide power for larger areas which remains offline. However, in Kiltoom in Co Roscommon on Tuesday where he visited affected communities, Micheál Martin said claims that Ireland had waited or been slow to respond to offers of help were "false".

This team of personnel from Austria who arrived in Dublin Port today, Tuesday, will help ESB Networks restore power in areas worst hit by Storm Éowyn. Teams from France and the Netherlands are due to arrive in the coming days. Picture: Chris Bellew/Fennells 

"I'm surprised at the degree to which that's been spoken about and the manner in which it's been spoken about. There's a very set procedure there... you notify the EU through their emergency response that the major storm is underway, they provide their meteorological additional supports... you have to do your assessment in the immediate aftermath of the storm and then seek assistance.

"What the commissioner does then is send a message around to all the EU member states who can be of assistance. The main issue is generators. That would be the limit of it, and main reason being, of course, the capacity in terms of generators, has been stretched in Europe because of the war in Ukraine."

John Burke and his son Eoin Burke with their barn in Fanore, North Clare, that lost its side wall during Storm Éowyn. Picture: Eamon Ward

Mr Martin was asked if there had been a further delay after the Government had been contacted on Saturday by Germany and Denmark seeking more information, but he insisted this was not the case. 

He said that the "green light" had been given to request assistance on Saturday.

Among those criticising the Government over its request for assistance was Midlands-North-West MEP Ciaran Mullooly.

Crews arriving in Ireland to help ESB Networks  restore power in the areas worst hit by Storm Éowyn include this team of 36 from Finland who arrived at Dublin Airport today, Tuesday. Picture: Chris Bellew/Fennells 

He said Ireland was first offered help by the European Commissioner for crisis management last Wednesday, days before the storm hit the country, and that the Government did not respond until days later.

EU Commissioner for Preparedness, Crisis Management and Equality, Hadja Lahbib, said that extreme weather events, like storm Éowyn, "increasingly put Europe's disaster resilience to the test".

Maurice Costello and John O'Connor at Cordal GAA in Co Kerry which has invited local people affected by Storm Éowyn to come to cook food, charge phones, and make use of the club's computer hub. Picture: Domnick Walsh

"I thank Denmark for their prompt offer of assistance, and Poland for their excellent collaboration in hosting and delivering the rescEU power generators to Ireland. We are in this together.”

Mr Martin also denied that recalling the Dáil could help. He said that doing so would "not reconnect one power line" and that asking government agencies and local authorities to brief ministers for a Dáil debate would use time which would be better used addressing the immediate issues.

"I think this is completely overplayed, if I'm honest, in terms of the enormity and scale of the response to the storm," Mr Martin said.

Mike Shaughnessy from Tuam gathering firewood and turf which was stored in a farm shed built in 1965 that was destroyed by Storm Éowyn. Picture: Ray Ryan

"I actually think the work of the agencies should be now dealing with and responding to the needs of the people.

"The Dail debate in itself will not in any way help to restore power, or indeed electricity."

Speaking in Belfast, Tánaiste Simon Harris criticised calls for the Dáil to return earlier than next week to deal with issues arising from the storm.

Asked whether he felt it was good enough that some Uisce Éireann plants remain offline due to a lack of power, the Taoiseach said that Ireland's general level of preparedness for severe weather should be reviewed because storms will be more severe and regular.

"I think the major concern would have to be the regularity and severity, because the last storm, Storm Daragh, was about nearly close to half the number of houses and businesses without power.

Cordal GAA Club members Noreen Enright and John O'Connor all set to help people affected by Storm Éowyn. Picture: Domnick Walsh

"This is nearly double that. So that's that's a very severe impact against the kind of storms we haven't experienced before. I think the key issue will be, then to look at all of this in light of further severe storms."

Discussions at Wednesday’s Cabinet meeting are set to focus on establishing a new Extreme Weather Event Assistance Scheme, which would help assist homeowners, businesses, farmers and community organisations.

The proposal was included within the Programme for Government.

Other schemes to assist individuals impacted by Storm Éowyn have already been activated, including the Humanitarian Assistance Scheme from the Department of Social Protection.