Safeguarding action yet to be taken after Storm Éowyn destroyed lives across the country

With days getting shorter and darker, it's a clear indication that storm season is just around the corner - but that doesn't mean that Government have prepared for it. 

In fact, it's quite the opposite, according to a report by the Climate Change Advisory Council.

It found that no actions have been taken following Storm Éowyn, despite widespread damage across the country and multiple lives being ruined.

The Council has called for a number of measures to be taken in order to protect communities from future storms.

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Speaking to Newstalk Breakfast this morning, Peter Thorne, Chairperson of the Council’s Adaptation Committee, says there are a number of simple short-term measures that could be put in place. 

He has suggested prepared centres that provide food, shelter, and showers.

Peter also suggested putting long-term measures in place that would strengthen communities when storms hit again. 

The Council has expressed its disappointment that a government review of the response to Storm Éowyn that was expected to identify key learnings is overdue and remains unpublished.

The discussion was picked back up with Andrea Gilligan on Lunchtime Live where a number of people who had been seriously affected during Storm Éowyn reacted to the news nothing has been done to safeguard the country since. 

Maureen, who is based in Connemara, says she was left with nothing after the storm. 

The entire roof was blown off her home and the contents of her attic were blown into a nearby lake. 

“Everything actually was ruined inside of the house,” Maureen said. 

“It’s getting very upsetting, the longer it goes on and nothing happening,” she added.

Maureen's ceilings have since fallen in and her walls are ruined as the roof hasn't been repaired.

"It doesn't get any easier," she said.

It's been nine months and Maureen is no closer to getting back into her home as no works have been carried out. 

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Another listener to share their thoughts was Paul.

Paul is a home dialysis patient who uses a machine for eight or nine hours a day. 

During the storm, he was left with no electricity for four or five days.

He has suggested that Government put a turnover switch into the homes of all vulnerable people.

He says this would allow the electricity to easily be switched over to a generator if it went down again.

The Climate Change Advisory Council has said there are areas that Government can, and must, act on now.

They include delivery of the ‘Emergency Response Hubs’ which assist people with basic needs in the event of services outages and the permanent establishment of a resourced ‘Extreme Weather Assistance Scheme’ to support people, businesses and communities.

Acknowledging the vital role that Local Authorities play in both preparing for and responding to severe weather events, the Council urged the Government to commit to defined annual funding for climate adaptation actions, starting with Budget 2026.