James Browne
Wexford · Fianna Fáil · Ireland
“I cannot accept amendments Nos. 10 and 11. The interpretation of "lawfully resident" and "habitually resident" is construed in accordance with section 20A, which sets out the new residency requirements for social housing applicants.”
“The safety net provision is to be provided by the local authority on a night-to-night basis, and this is to allow local authorities to reassess the circumstances each day to determine whether the safety net should still be provided.”
“I cannot accept amendment No. 21. This amendment proposes the introduction of a social housing passport allowing households to transfer between local authority areas while retaining their original waiting list or transfer list position. The amendment as it stands is well-intentioned.”
“No one factor is intended to be decisive and it is not necessary for a person to score strongly on all five factors outlined in section 20A(7) in order to get a positive decision. However, the local authority decision-maker must be confident that there is strong evidence that it is the applicant's main centre of interest.”
“In relation to Senator McCarthy’s amendment, while it was a very well intentioned and constructed amendment, it has been disallowed. It was not my decision on those matters. I am satisfied the safeguards and safety net are there for those who are not entitled by way of legal or habitual residence.”
“In practical terms, if an Irish citizen has severed ties abroad and has decided to return home, the process of establishing habitual residency could be determined from day one.”
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“The role of private finance in funding the development of new homes and the link with the ongoing review of the operation of rent pressure zones were also raised during the debate. Delivering 50,000 homes on average per year up to 2030 will require an estimated €20 billion in development finance each year. It is an unassailable fact that a large proportion of this must come from international sources. Without attracting the supply of appropriate private finance to complement the State’s unprecedented level of investment in housing, we risk exacerbating supply and affordability challenges, particularly in the private rental sector. I understand that the public debate, much of which has been mischaracterised, may have worried many, particularly renters.”
“In this regard, I believe the proportion of social and cost-rental housing needed is ultimately one that allows the demand for such housing to be fully met at any given time, whether that is 18%, 20% or 22%. We are still some way from achieving this goal but we are continuing year-on-year to expand our stock of public housing. Housing for All set ambitious targets in this regard, with approximately one third of targeted delivery being social and cost-rental housing. The revised local authority and tenure-specific targets are still to be finalised but we would expect the proportion of targeted social and cost rental to be similar when they are agreed. Over time, achieving such levels of delivery will drive up the stock of social and cost rental to the levels proposed by the Housing Commission.”
“Against this backdrop, the Government's revised target of 300,000 new homes by 2030 is both ambitious and credible. The crucial issue is ultimately that delivery meets demand. On that principle, we will adopt the same agile approach we have taken with Housing for All and revisit the targets in 2027 if, reflecting the demand and growing industry capacity, we need different targets from 2028. The commission also recommends increasing the proportion of social and cost rental stock to 20% of the total national housing stock. I understand there were some reservations about recommending an exact proportion. I agree fully with the commission that the proportion of social and cost-rental housing needs to increase relative to the overall stock.”
“The supply needed to meet emerging and unmet demand has received considerable attention since the commission's report. This was referred to during the debate. Understanding of the scale of the challenge ahead is critical to dealing with the challenge. To this end, the Government welcomes the work of the commission in this area, which estimates unmet demand to be at up to 256,000 homes. However, it is important to understand that it is inherently difficult to estimate a quantity, given the range of underpinning assumptions required. The residential development and construction industries were almost annihilated in the wake of 2008. Recovering the sector remains a work in progress and there is clearly a need to significantly scale up capacity across the construction industry in the coming years.”
“The commission's observation that Ireland has poor outcomes among European peers, given our level of expenditure on housing, has been raised on multiple occasions since the report was published and again during the debate. It is easy for the point to be misconstrued, and the commission has indeed clarified it on a number of occasions since. Its core criticism is about the failure to retain and recycle the funding invested in the social housing system. While this money is not wasted, as it is invested in other local authority services, the proposals of the commission around greater ring-fencing of public housing money could improve the sustainability of the system. The viability and possible impacts of these proposals are being actively scoped by my Department.”
“I thank the House for the debate on the report of the Housing Commission and the views put forward throughout it. I once again express my appreciation to the commission members for their time, effort and commitment. It is clear from the views expressed during the debate that there is much we agree upon about where we must get to. That said, it is unsurprising that we are not all agreed, given the deep-rooted nature of the challenges that we have and the breadth and complexity of measures proposed by the commission to deal with them. Many Deputies have contributed over the two days of the debate. Regrettably, I cannot respond to every point raised in the short time available to me this afternoon, so I will confine my remarks to some of the more substantive points touched on by Deputies before bringing the debate to an end.”
“Securing the appropriate funding will be a key factor in defining our progress over the coming years. I thank the Housing Commission for its work which, as I have set out, is having a significant influence on the Government's work. I acknowledge much still needs to be done to implement the recommendations. I will continue to consider the report as I work through the actions to boost supply in the immediate term and further develop my plans to deliver on the longer term ambition of a functioning housing system that meets the needs of all.”
“I recognise these will be challenging discussions given the many important competing priorities drawing on a finite level of available resources, but I am optimistic the outcome of the review will reflect the focus and measures needed to meet the challenges ahead. Of course, the Exchequer and the national development plan cannot be the sole contributor. Other sources will also be important. The incoming Apple moneys and the revenue from the disposal of State shares in AIB can also contribute to the investment needed in critical areas, acknowledging the many expectations of my ministerial colleagues in that regard. I will engage regularly with the Minister, Deputy Chambers, over the coming months to secure the moneys needed to deliver them.”
“Maintaining the considerable levels of collaboration and joined-up thinking across key Government Departments with our delivery partners and sectoral stakeholders will be critical. I am committed to continuing and deepening this collective approach in the coming years. Funding will also be critical. Without funding the required solutions, we run the real risk of exacerbating the challenges we already face. Work is already starting on the review of the national development plan and this is due to be complete by July. The last national development plan review recognised the importance of housing as an issue of national importance and I will again make the case for its critical importance.”
“All of these commitments and targets will inform discussions for the forthcoming national development plan review, as will the programme for Government commitment to invest additional capital in Uisce Éireann. This investment is essential if the scale of the necessary housing development exceeds what is provided in the Uisce Éireann capital investment plan underpinning its strategic funding plan from 2025 to 2029. The ambitions I have set out, particularly around addressing the immediate issues of increasing the supply of new housing, rely on securing the appropriate levels of capital funding and a strengthening of the whole-of-government approach introduced under Housing for All.”
“It notes that while the overall vacancy rate has declined in Ireland, there are high levels of vacancy in some rural areas and it remains a serious issue. The Government has also been taking action in areas highlighted by the commission, including ensuring vacant homes officers are in place across all local authorities. The vacant homes refurbishment grant is a key enabler in reducing vacancies and is proving extremely popular, with the number of grant payments rising from 100 in 2023 to 1,349 by the end of last year and equating to 1,449 vacant properties being returned to use as homes. We will continue to push initiatives in this area in line with programme for Government commitments and informed by the ideas of the commission.”
“I welcome the recommendation from the commission to deliver cost-rental housing on a greater scale and we have made some good strides in this space recently. From 2021 to the end September last year, we delivered 2,640 cost-rental homes through AHBs, local authorities, the Land Development Agency and the cost-rental and tenant in situ schemes. Affordable housing schemes, including cost-rental, are starting to deliver at scale and this momentum will continue as the pipeline is developed. The programme for Government commits to building more cost-rental units and embedding it as a permanent tenure. Addressing vacancy and dereliction and bringing existing properties back into use as homes is a key priority for this Government. The Housing Commission draws particular attention to this important area.”
“I met representatives of the Land Development Agency this week and heard about its pipeline, which will see the agency deliver a volume of homes on a par with the largest home builders in the country, a significant proportion of which will be apartments. We have worked hard to build a pipeline across the affordable purchase and cost-rental areas. I note the commission's support for the affordable housing framework we have put in place, as well as its proposals to build on this and regularly review the functioning of these schemes as the market evolves. My Department is working on ten-year specific breakdowns of the housing targets for the period ahead. This work will inform the targets for social, affordable and cost-rental houses over the next five years.”
“The forum was informed by multiple sources, including the findings and recommendations of the commission. We are currently finalising the forum's report and expect a review of the recommendations arising in the coming months and for the agreed priority actions to be incorporated in the new housing plan. Affordability and home ownership remain at the heart of the Government's housing policy. We have been very successful in growing a new affordable housing programme from a standing start in 2021. To date, more than 6,000 approvals have been issued under the first home scheme. In addition, nearly 1,300 local authority affordable purchase homes have been purchased by first-time buyers across 16 local authorities.”
“This consideration will be reflected in the new national housing plan, although the need for appropriate appraisal and consideration to enable decisions to be taken in relation to these seismic, longer term ambitions may take some time. The approved housing body, AHB, sector will continue to be indispensable partners in delivering and managing social and affordable housing as we work towards further scaling up delivery and a more sustainable longer term system. The Housing Commission reinforced the crucial role of AHBs and recommended policy and structural reforms to maximise the potential of the sector while addressing risks and impediments. My Department established the AHB strategic forum in 2024 to collaborate on a future vision and reform roadmap for the sector.”
“For example, it recommends retaining and recycling all social housing moneys within the system for maintenance and future delivery. It recommends merging social housing with cost-rental housing, based on the principle of a cost-recovery rent and it recommends increasing social and cost-rental housing to 20% of the national stock. The commission acknowledges the long-term needs from these recommendations and the need for significant appraisal and consideration before any substantive decisions can be taken. I am committed to considering these recommendations as part of the need to establish a better platform from which housing supply can be increased to meet the need arising in the long term.”
“My Department has asked the Housing Agency to review the operation of rent pressure zones, which will fully consider the Housing Commission recommendations in this regard. The review will be completed by the end of March, after which I will consider proposals to bring to the Government prior to the ending of the current RPZ controls on 31 December this year. I stress that we can both protect renters and attract finance for new homes for rent at the same time. Increasing the supply of properties for rent benefits all renters and that is why it is a key ambition for the private rental sector. The commission has made significant and far-reaching recommendations that will alter the operation of the social housing system as we currently know it.”
“Uninformed commentary unfairly labelling all private investment as harmful impacts our ability to attract this investment and provide the additional homes we need. Critically, protecting renters and attracting finance for home delivery are not mutually exclusive. Securing this type of investment will benefit today's renters and those wishing to avail of accommodation in future. To do so, we have committed to establishing the stable and predictable policy approach necessary to attract and retain private investment and this will inform our thinking on the review of the rent pressure zone, RPZ, regime. This review will have regard to the need to appropriately balance the interests of landlords and tenants to support a sustainable, long-term model for rent price regulation.”
“Some of this private investment will come from our domestic banks, and we will work with them to ensure they are appropriately using their lending capacities to support the development of housing nationwide. It is an unassailable fact, however, that the majority has to be secured from international sources. It is clear from last year's completion figures that there has been a significant drop in apartment delivery, rooted in the almost complete retrenchment in institutional capital since 2022, which has severely impacted on the delivery of new homes. Institutional investment, such as that from Irish and other European pension funds, will be key to generating the additional supply of new homes we need. There is no getting away from this.”
“A timber and construction steering group is also focusing on areas such as regulation, public procurement, research and public awareness to increase the use of timber in construction. Modelling by the Department of Finance estimates that delivering 50,000 homes on average per year to 2030 will require some €20 billion in development finance each year. The State is doing more than ever in this space, directing an unprecedented level of public resources at housing, and will continue to do so. The level of investment required in the long term, however, cannot be solely the responsibility of the State. It will also require considerable levels of private investment.”
“We will consider all views on these estimates but whatever the overall number, the point remains we must seek to grow supply significantly for all tenures while doing so in a sustainable manner. Scaling up the use of modern methods of construction is a key Government priority which can help speed up delivery with achievable reductions in delivery times of between 20% and 60% for projects through the effective maximisation of scale. In line with the commission’s report, my Department is working with the industry to develop a standardised design approaches study to build awareness of the benefits and opportunities for the sector presented by standardised housing design.”
“Our revised targets, underpinned by expert, peer-reviewed research and modelling, are credible and ambitious. Scaling up capacity to deliver 60,000 new homes by 2030 will be an enormous challenge but it is one that can be achieved by, among other things, appropriate supports to grow the construction industry's capacity year on year. Growing capacity will establish a platform from which housing supply can be ramped up to the higher levels needed after 2030 and provide a platform to deliver on the commission's recommendations of addressing unmet demand within the next ten years. I await further analysis by my Department to underpin new targets for each tenure as part of the next housing plan.”
“I understand there was much debate among the commission's members regarding this estimate, which is natural, given that any estimate of unmet demand necessarily relies on judgments regarding underlying assumptions, such as the rate at which Ireland's average household size will converge with that of peer countries. Given that we currently have a younger population than many of our peers, the commission's judgment on the average Irish household size in the event of a less constrained housing market underlies its estimate of unmet demand. I agree with the commission that clearing unmet demand is a priority action and must be addressed within the decade. I also agree that estimates of housing requirements must be regularly assessed and reassessed, and I expect to revisit the targets in 2027.”
“All our efforts must now focus on achieving the targets in the programme for Government, delivering more than 300,000 new homes by 2030 and building to 60,000 per year by the end of the period. The commission's report contains a range of estimates for housing demand projections, including estimates of unmet housing demand. I welcome a range of views and the testing of assumptions underpinning the Government's housing targets, just as I would also test those put forward by the commission. The commission estimates unmet demand of between 212,500 and 256,000 homes.”
“Since Housing for All was published in 2021, almost 107,000 homes have been added to the national housing stock through new builds, the completion of historical unfinished developments and vacant properties being brought back to use. Much still needs to be done but we have achieved a lot, with a step change in delivery in recent years. Last year's dip is certainly disappointing. I remain optimistic, however, that with appropriately targeted action by the Government, many of the more than 100,000 commencement notices lodged over the past two years will translate to new home completions and a general upward trajectory in the supply of recent times can be sustained.”
“The commitment will implement a key action in the commission's report, enhancing the powers and resources of local authorities and supporting and enabling the delivery of sustainable levels of housing. Relatedly, my Department is working with local authorities to review resources of housing delivery teams to secure future staffing needs and ensure the optimal structures for housing delivery are in place. Key in this regard will be developing, ring-fencing and retaining greater specialism in the sector relating to direct-build housing. The Minister of State, Deputy Cummins, will speak later to the intersection of the Housing Commission's report and the significant reforms under way in our planning system.”
“It will enable more strategic investment in infrastructure, land assembly and derisking of strategic sites for residential development in towns and cities. Importantly, while the decision is still to be made, it could provide funding firepower to facilitate the work of the strategic housing activation office. We have also committed to establishing land activation units in local authorities to ensure a more proactive approach to identifying opportunities for development. This will build on the recent investment in local authority resources and help tackle important issues such as vacancy and dereliction through the vacant homes officers and town regeneration officers.”
“I hope to bring proposals for establishing the office, including its role, functions and staffing, to the next Cabinet committee on housing and thereafter to the Government for a decision. I am mindful of the need to move quickly, but I am also keenly aware of the importance of securing the right person and team to lead and support it. Critically, the office must be led and staffed by persons with the necessary expertise, access to the key actors and a depth of understanding of the system in order that it can hit the ground running and have an immediate impact. Allied with this, the new towns and cities infrastructure investment fund is a cornerstone commitment of the programme for Government, again aligning with commission proposals. The fund will be scoped and designed as part of the review of the national development plan.”
“In this regard, the commitment draws on the commission's recommendation for a housing delivery oversight executive, co-ordinating related investment across key utility providers and intervening to unblock infrastructure issues on the ground. Backed by the required capital funding, it will play a game-changing role in enabling housing delivery in the near term and into the future. The office may not be exactly as the commission envisaged on day one, but it reflects a pragmatic approach to quickly achieving the underlying objective. I agree with the commission in that speed is of the essence, especially if we are to maximise delivery this year and secure a robust pipeline in the years hereafter.”
“There are many commitments in the programme for Government relating to housing and infrastructure informed wholly or in part by the commission's report. We are taking these commitments forward and incorporating them into the broader work under way as appropriate. The commission highlighted the need for a joined-up approach on infrastructure that supports housing development. The Government has considered how this might be best achieved, focusing on actions that can have an almost immediate impact, and to this end has committed to establishing a strategic housing activation office. This new office will report directly to me. It will focus on enabling infrastructure to support public and private housing development and providing solutions to infrastructure blockages.”
“The commission rightly considered these matters to be more appropriate for the Government. This is, in itself, a complex and time-intensive exercise and it is taking time. Reflecting the urgency needed, however, we are focusing first on those recommendations identified as key by the commission, as well as those others that can potentially have the greatest impact on supply in the short to medium term. This work is continuing at varying stages of progress. At the same time, we are mapping the full suite of recommendations and a direction of travel for substantial longer term reform. This includes work that is already under way in my Department but to which the commission's recommendations speak directly and indirectly.”
“Of course, we must act with urgency in the face of the crisis facing many households, but we must not lose sight of the longer term need as we do so. There has been much commentary suggesting we have not engaged seriously with the commission's report. Much of this narrative is uninformed and I would like to put it to bed here today by outlining the work under way since the Government published the report last year. My Department began examining the report almost immediately after it was published, assigning dedicated resources for this purpose. We moved quickly to task the Housing Agency to support this work, not to reimagine the commission's consideration but to help examine costs associated with them, identify priorities and consider implementation timelines, resourcing implications and so forth.”
“Some have been committed to in the new programme for Government, while others are reforming thinking on the step change needed to build on Housing for All and to deliver 300,000 or more new homes by 2030 and 60,000-plus per year thereafter. Building on the engagement my officials had with the commission last year, I spoke to the commission’s members recently to thank them, hear their views and invite them to engage further with me and my Department as we strive to implement their proposals. A point made by one of the members at that meeting stuck with me, principally that the report is best considered as an ongoing resource for ideas and solutions, rather than as one that can be quickly consumed and implemented.”
“It set out a suite of actions for the private rented sector and it issued a call for a greater focus on outcomes with an enhanced ambition embracing a different risk- and decision-making environment across the administrative system. Again, with some exceptions and a different emphasis in some areas, there is much that resonates with me and my vision for the future of the housing system. These points and others are captured by recommendations in the report and I will touch on as many of them as time allows during this debate. There is much to be considered in the report and there are many areas where implementation may be complex or have potential consequences elsewhere, but I can confidently say we are scoping and progressing many of the actions.”
“It is more than 400 pages long, covering ten thematic areas and including more than 80 recommendations and around 500 actions and subactions. At a high level, the commission considered that housing should be affirmed as a unique national priority supporting social cohesion and economic development and with a focus on expressing our collective aspirations for society. I wholeheartedly agree with the commission in this respect and will work tirelessly to make this happen. More specifically, the commission proposed a housing deficit should be addressed through emergency action and cleared over ten years. It recommended a radical reform across all aspects of the social housing system.”
“The commission was established in December 2021 to consider long-term housing post-2030 and examine how to build on the policy changes outlined in Housing for All and related Government policies. The main report is the output of more than two years grappling with and developing solutions to a myriad of complex and interlinked issues. The commission was unquestionably diligent in this work. The members brought a wealth and breadth of experience and expertise, adopting a meticulous evidence-based approach and consulting extensively with the public, housing providers, tenants, younger adults and other sectoral stakeholders, all of which is reflected in the depth of the commission’s consideration which can only really be appreciated when one examines the report.”
“As I take up the housing portfolio, it is opportune to set out the scale of work that has been progressed over some months in response to the commission’s report. I also want to outline how the commission’s work has been reflected in the programme for Government, how the Government continues to examine in detail the commission’s proposals and how it can build on the solid platform laid by Housing for All over the last three years. Before continuing, I want to acknowledge and reflect on the achievement the commission’s report represents. I commend and thank the commission members on a challenging job well done. Each of them brought drive, commitment and passion to the task set.”
“I will set out some of the key reforms we will progress to address the immediate challenge of boosting housing supply while supporting those policies and structures needed for a sustainable housing system and a supply of new homes in the country that it needs into the long term. This twin-track approach of short-term pragmatic actions in tandem with longer-term deliverables to underpin the sustainability post-2030 speaks directly to the broad direction of travel proposed by the Housing Commission. It will be a challenging task to marry the two and - the House may not agree fully on this - mine and the Government’s primary focus will be on achieving these ends. The report of the Housing Commission has been much referenced in this House since it was published last May.”
“I welcome the opportunity to speak today on the work of the Housing Commission and the significant work the Government is doing and will continue to do to implement the commission’s recommendations. Before I do so, I wish to say I am honoured to have been afforded the opportunity to take on the housing brief. I look forward to contributing to an area which has the potential to significantly enhance the lives of people in our society. This afternoon I will update the House on the work ongoing in my Department since the publication of the report of the Housing Commission. I am delighted to take the opportunity to speak about the housing policy agenda more broadly.”
“There will be a lot to learn once we are fully out of the response stage in respect of Storm Éowyn. The strategic emergency management framework overseen by the Office of Emergency Planning in the Department of Defence will be reviewed through the Government task force on emergency planning. My Department will be commissioning a detailed review of the response to Storm Éowyn that will be submitted to the Government task force on emergency planning, highlighting key findings and making recommendations that will be agreed and assigned to all relevant sectors for rapid implementation. There will be a key focus on planning, business continuity management, and further strengthening the resilience of our infrastructure and essential services.”
“The Government continues to support those severely impacted, including individuals, families, communities, businesses and sports clubs, through the Department of Social Protection’s humanitarian assistance scheme. The programme for Government includes a commitment to develop an extreme weather event assistance scheme for homes, community organisations, farmers and businesses, which will be brought forward as a matter of priority. Interdepartmental co-ordination, led by the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications, continues in respect of the full restoration of telecoms and connectivity. Local authorities in impacted areas continue to lead and co-ordinate a local level response to the needs of people who have been significantly impacted by the storm.”
“These efforts included activating the EU civil protection mechanism, resulting in the production of vital mapping information and the donation of 18 high voltage generators to support recovery efforts; co-ordinating the assistance of local authorities, Coillte, the National Parks and Wildlife Service and other bodies to clear trees and debris from roads and access routes to allow for ESB and Uisce Éireann crew to repair restore points; securing assistance from the Defence Forces, Civil Defence, the Coast Guard and the Air Corps to provide drones and operators, helicopters to support damage assessment, and transport and logistics solutions; activating humanitarian hubs with the assistance of local authorities, community groups and NGOs to provide assistance on the ground; compiling lists of resources such as generators and deploying them where they could be most impactful; ensuring any resources available were being used to support utilities, the health and education sectors and humanitarian efforts; and co-ordinating mutual assistance including support of incoming crews deployed to the restoration of the ESB network.”
“The NECG had four subgroups dedicated to both preparatory decisions and co-ordinating the recovery phase: the subgroup on education and transport, the subgroup on power infrastructure, the subgroup on communications infrastructure and the subgroup on humanitarian assistance Working together, all members of the NECG were in a position to make key decisions and co-ordinate efforts to facilitate the recovery.”
“The NECG and its relevant subgroups met every day from the date of its establishment on 22 January until Monday, 10 February, with the Government Information Service issuing NECG press releases every day containing important public information. The key priorities of the NECG remained the restoration of power, water, telecommunications and other services to homes, farms and businesses; and the provision of humanitarian assistance to those worst affected by Storm Éowyn. The NECG oversaw the intensive work across the whole of government to restore power, water, telecommunications and other services to homes, farms and businesses. A key focus was finding ways to support power restoration works that would make the most impact on restoring water, communications and other essential services.”
“Emergency response hubs were activated to assist people with basic needs such as water, hot food, phone charging, broadband access and shower facilities, with approximately 380 hubs established at the peak of the response. Helplines were established for those in need of assistance. They provided advice and direction to supports available, including the Department of Social Protection’s humanitarian assistance scheme. Support and equipment were provided to those most in need, where possible. All local authorities shared available resources between them and a central national database was established to support this work. Local authorities ensured all appropriate local and national organisations were co-ordinated in responding to individual and community needs and, most importantly, that the needs of the most vulnerable were prioritised.”
“In this case, it was chaired by my Department as lead Government Department. It is mandatory for all Government Departments and key national agencies to attend the NECG. The activation of the NECG is notified through the Office of Emergency Planning in the Department of Defence. At this early stage of the process, key public safety messaging is developed and communicated among the NECG and this messaging is pushed out through all mediums. This messaging is aligned to Met Éireann weather warnings issued to protect life and ensure citizen safety. As soon as it was possible to do so, local authorities working with the support of other members of the NECG's subgroup on humanitarian assistance led and co-ordinated a local level response to the needs of people who had been significantly impacted by the storm.”
“Officials from the national directorate for fire and emergency management in my Department identified the potential for severe and destructive weather in advance of the naming of Storm Éowyn. They made advanced contact with both local authorities, the lead agency in respect of severe weather, the ESB, EirGrid and Uisce Éireann on 22 January. This gave them the opportunity to stand up their crisis management teams, activate response plans and have crews and equipment ready for immediate deployment as soon as it was safe to do so. Furthermore, as part of the preparatory process in advance of Storm Éowyn, a national emergency co-ordination group - the NECG, which is the established Government platform for responding to national level emergencies under the strategic emergency management framework, was activated on 22 January.”
“This system has been used successfully to manage several extreme weather events, including Storm Ophelia on 16 October 2017 and the snow event, Storm Emma, which lasted from 27 February to 4 March 2018. Underpinning this system is the 2017 strategic emergency management framework, published by the Office of Emergency Planning in the Department of Defence, which facilitates a co-ordinated leadership in the face of extreme and difficult conditions, rapid identification of key issues and supports necessary to ensure an effective response and whole-of-government co-ordination supporting all local authorities that lead in the response to severe weather events. It has been claimed there was a lack of a co-ordinated plan for dealing with Storm Éowyn. I put on the record that this was not the case.”
“I also take this opportunity to convey my deepest sympathies to the family and friends of Kacper Dudek for their tragic loss. On behalf of the Government, I thank everyone involved in the preparation for, response to and recovery from Storm Éowyn. We are incredibly grateful for people's dedication, skills and willingness to leave their families and homes to work to restore power to the families and homes of others. Without them, it could not have been done. An emergency management system, which was developed in accordance with the principles of good international emergency management practice and successfully co-ordinates a whole-of-government approach at national and local levels, has been developed and utilised in Ireland over the past decade.”
“This co-ordinated approach to handling emergencies and their aftermath is activated frequently in response to Atlantic winter storms. It is recognised that Ireland experienced one of the most dangerous and destructive storms in living memory on Friday, 24 January 2025, when Storm Éowyn made landfall. Unprecedented damage was done by the storm, leaving approximately 768,000 homes, farms and businesses without power. Among the knock-on impacts were 84,000 customers not having access to water, a severely impacted transport system and the loss of connectivity and broadband for over 1 million customers. The Government recognises the hardship and distress experienced by many families and the disruption caused to farms, business, schools and wider society as a result of the impacts of Storm Éowyn.”