Season of storms on the horizon, Ireland unprepared

Plans to scale up the response to extreme weather have not been finalised, even as storm season approaches.

An annual review published on Tuesday by the Climate Change Advisory Council (CCAC) has criticised the Government for its lack of action in response to the storm season, and said that action is urgently needed before another huge storm hits the country.

Last year saw widespread destruction caused by two large storms. Storm Darragh hit the country in December last year, bringing wind speeds of up to 140kmph, followed by Storm Éowyn in January, which left 715,000 homes, farmers, and businesses without power.

The climate council urged the Government to commit to defined annual funding for climate adaptation actions, starting with the Budget 2026, which is set to be announced next week.

The report also expressed disappointment that a cross-government review of the response to Storm Éowyn remains unpublished - which was expected to identify important learnings across all sectors.

The climate council also recommended the creation of emergency response hubs, which would assist people with basic needs when a service outage occurs; along with a permanent extreme weather assistance scheme to support people, businesses, and communities.

Chair of the CCAC, Peter Thorne, said: “The cascading effects of these storms have exposed our vulnerability and the critical shortcomings in our preparedness and response systems.

"Stronger political leadership with a whole-of-Government response to these challenges is essential to achieve the goal of a climate-resilient Ireland.

“The publication of Ireland’s first national climate change risk assessment and the inclusion of climate change adaptation factors in the revised national planning framework are positive developments that urgently need to be built on.”