TD says there should be more innovative ideas for storm preparedness
Vivienne Clarke
Independent Ireland TD Michael Fitzmaurice has said that there should be more innovative ideas for storm preparedness in the wake of Storm Éowyn.
Mr Fitzmaurice spoke to Claire Byrne on RTÉ's Today programme, to discuss the Storm Éowyn report published on Wednesday, welcoming the fact that there was recognition of a need for legislation.
But he said that there was a need for a faster, more proactive response to address these issues, rather than just producing reports that gather dust on shelves.
"The sad reality, though, is we're talking about it for nine months. And there's no movement," he said.
Mr Fitzmaurice talked about the need for better preparedness, including having small generators to keep basics like heat and light running during power outages, as well as "joined-up thinking" to create a register for vulnerable people to ensure their protection during severe weather events.
He also spoke about the need for a coordinated response involving various organisations like the ESB, councils, and the Department of Agriculture, as well as legislative changes to empower organisations like the ESB to better maintain infrastructure and vegetation.
"What needs to happen is the legislation for the likes of the ESB to do their job, Irish Water needs to be basically made and told. This is what you gotta do, guys. We need to make sure that the likes of the councils are resourced and given enough of funding on the line of roadside trees," he said.
He also discussed changes to the forestry licensing system to address the root causes of power outages, as well as the setback distances of trees where forestry is being done, which he said they "should have moved on immediately" and "not waited for the report".
The report into Storm Éowyn came out on Wednesday and includes recommendations to cancel public events during orange weather warnings, improve communications, and create subgroups within the National Emergency Coordination Group (NECG).
