Technicians from England and France to help restore power in Ireland

By Rebecca Black, PA

Technicians from England and France are set to help restore power to homes and businesses across Ireland following Storm Éowyn.

More than 300,000 remain without power across Ireland following record-setting wind speeds.

Some 768,000 were without power during the peak of the destruction caused by the storm on Friday.

On Sunday morning ESB Networks said the number of customers without power had reduced to just over 340,000.

Taoiseach Micheál Martin said every effort is being made to restore power and water supplies, describing the destruction caused as “unprecedented”.

One man was killed during the storm. Kacper Dudek, 20, died when a tree fell on his car in Co Donegal early on Friday morning as Storm Eowyn began its destructive course across Ireland.

Tánaiste Simon Harris said the Irish Defence Forces were assisting ESB Network with helicopters to help restore power.

He said the Civil Defence is also on standby across the country.

The Irish Government is set to make financial support available to families and businesses affected by the storm.

ESB Network workers continued to work over the weekend despite a number of weather warnings for snow and ice and for wind being in place.

Minister for Social Protection Dara Calleary said technicians from England are helping ESB workers, and further support is coming from France.

He said the main focus this week is around restoring power and water.

He described the damage as “extensive”, but said they are “throwing everything at it”.

“We’re bringing additional people from England today and we’re looking for people from France, additional technicians,” he told RTE’s The Week In Politics programme.

“What we’re focused on is getting our infrastructure back up, getting our power back up, getting our water and connectivity back up as soon as is possible.

“The main focus this week is on restoring power, the damage is extensive but they (ESB Networks) are throwing everything at it.

“We’re being joined today by technicians from England, and also, we’ll be joined by technicians from France and we’ll be working with our colleagues from Northern Ireland Electricity to do this on an all-island basis.”

Met Éireann has issued a number of warnings, including a yellow warning for rain from 5am on Sunday for counties Carlow, Kilkenny, Wicklow, Cork, Kerry, Tipperary and Waterford, and a yellow warning for wind from 6am on Sunday for counties Carlow, Dublin, Kilkenny, Wexford, Wicklow, Munster and Galway.

There are also yellow warnings for wind from 11am on Sunday for counties Donegal, Leitrim, Louth, Meath, Mayo and Sligo, and from 11pm for counties Cork, Kerry and Waterford.