Ireland has formally requested emergency assistance from the European Union following the catastrophic damage caused by Storm Éowyn, which has left hundreds of thousands without power and threatens the country’s water supply. The storm, one of the worst in living memory, has knocked out electricity for an estimated 402,000 people, with another 300,000 potentially facing prolonged outages for up to a week.
In response to the crisis, the Irish government has activated the EU’s disaster response mechanism, the Union Civil Protection Mechanism (UCPM), to request large mobile power generators. The damage to Ireland’s electricity network has been described as “unprecedented,” with ESB Networks—responsible for maintaining the grid—working tirelessly to repair the extensive destruction that has left over 768,000 customers without power since Friday.
The ongoing outages are now threatening the water supply for more than a quarter of a million people across Ireland, compounding the already dire situation.
Request for EU Assistance
Ireland’s European Commissioner, Michael McGrath, has confirmed his full support for the country’s request. The emergency assistance comes after the storm, which caused widespread damage to the country’s infrastructure, was forecasted to be one of the worst in decades. The request for aid was first revealed by Irish MEP Ciaran Mullooly, who contacted European Commissioner Hadja Lahbib, responsible for crisis management, for help.
In a statement, Commissioner Lahbib assured that the EU’s Emergency Response Coordination Centre (ERCC) had been in contact with Ireland’s civil protection authorities since January 22 to offer support. The ERCC has already provided satellite mapping and damage forecasts to assist Irish authorities.
While Mullooly acknowledged the help offered, he expressed concern that the request for aid was not made sooner. “The storm was expected to be devastating, and the EU response mechanism was already in place,” he said. “It’s clear that the Irish authorities were aware of the scale of the storm well before it hit. A more proactive approach could have minimized the impact.”
Despite the delay in requesting assistance, Mullooly emphasized the urgency of getting support to affected areas, especially in rural regions, where conditions have been described as resembling life in the 1930s. Thousands of people have been cut off from basic services, including power, water, and communications, with some driving up to 50 miles just to make phone calls.
Impact on Power and Water Supply
As of Saturday, ESB Networks reported that it had restored power to 366,000 customers, but the remaining 300,000 are unlikely to have power restored until at least next Friday. The situation remains fluid, and ongoing adverse weather conditions could delay the restoration work further.
The water supply has also been severely disrupted. Uisce Éireann, the Irish water utility, reported that around 120,000 people are without water, and an additional 150,000 are relying on temporary water schemes powered by emergency generators. However, water supplies for another 275,000 people are at risk as power outages persist in critical areas.
The areas most affected by the outages include the North West of Ireland, as well as counties Kerry, Clare, Tipperary, Cavan, Monaghan, Longford, and Laois. Uisce Éireann is working to restore service but has warned that the situation could worsen if power is not quickly restored.
Calls for Long-Term Solutions
As the immediate crisis unfolds, Mullooly has called for greater investment in mobile power generation to ensure Ireland is better prepared for future storms. He noted that extreme weather events like Storm Éowyn are becoming more frequent and severe, underscoring the need for proactive measures.
“There is a business case to be made for investing in mobile generators ourselves, so that when the next storm hits, we are not scrambling for help,” he said. “Uisce Éireann should have its own generators to keep the water flowing, regardless of the conditions.”
While the storm’s damage is still being assessed, it is clear that the impacts will be felt for weeks to come. As the repair work continues, the Irish government is counting on EU support to help mitigate the crisis and restore essential services to affected communities.
