More than 92,000 applications made for compensation after Storm Éowyn

ESB Networks crew working to restore power after Storm Éowyn left more than a million people without power and caused significant travel disruption across Ireland and the UK.

More than 92,000 people have applied for the Humanitarian Assistance Scheme following the widespread damage caused by Storm Éowyn.

Figures obtained by 7LÁ confirm it is the highest volume of applications ever received in the history of the State following a weather event.

According to the Department of Social Protection, more than 45,600 initial payments have been issued to affected households, amounting to nearly €11.2 million in support.

Four months on from the storm, many people across Ireland are still struggling to recover, despite Government supports.

Storm Éowyn, one of the most destructive storms in recent memory, struck between January 23 and 25, bringing record-breaking winds and torrential rain. It caused widespread damage and severely impacted infrastructure.

At its peak, the storm left 768,000 homes, schools, farms, and businesses without power — with some outages lasting nearly three weeks.

The Humanitarian Assistance Scheme was launched in response to the damage.

In a statement to 7LÁ, the Department of Social Protection said that "over 92,000 applications for the Humanitarian Assistance Scheme have been registered to date with just over 45,600 Stage 1 payments made, totalling almost €11.2 million in respect of Storm Éowyn-related claims", which is expected to rise.

The scheme operates in three stages:

• Stage 1 provides immediate emergency payments for essential needs such as food and clothing in the wake of a weather event.
• Stage 2 supports the replacement of white goods, basic furniture, and other essential household items.
• Stage 3 helps restore homes to a habitable condition, covering works like plastering, dry-lining, flooring, electrical rewiring, and painting.

Stage 1 opened on January 23 and closed on April 25. Stages 2 and 3, also opened in January, remain open and are subject to means testing.