Minutes 2025

Minutes of May Special Meeting of Sligo County Council Re. Storm Éowyn, held at 10.00 am on Monday 26th May, 2025 in The Council Chamber, County Hall, Riverside, Sligo

COUNCILLORS PRESENT:  

• Councillor Bree,
• Councillor Brennan,
• Councillor Casserly,
• Councillor Clarke,
• Councillor Gallagher,
• Councillor Gibbons,
• Councillor Gilroy,
• Councillor Healy,
• Councillor Higgins,
• Councillor E. McSharry,
• Councillor Mullaney,
• Councillor Mulvey,
• Councillor Nealon,
• Councillor Taylor

 

OFFICIALS IN ATTENDANCE:

Mr. Martin Lydon, Chief Executive
Mr. Jim Molloy, Director of Services
Ms. Sinéad Branley, Meetings Administrator

 

APOLOGIES:

Apologies were received from Councillors T. MacSharry, O’Boyle, Queenan and Walsh.

 

CATHAOIRLEACH

Cathaoirleach, Councillor Declan Bree, presided and welcomed the following representatives to the meeting:

 

Representing the E.S.B.

• Mary Kehoe, Regional Manager Northwest
• Kevin Staunton, Area Manager (Sligo, Ballina and Castlebar)
• Aodhagan Watters, Continuity Engineer and

Representing Coillte

• Darren Reynolds, Coillte Estate Manager and
• Brian McGarraghy, Coillte Estates Forester.

The Cathaoirleach suggested that the meeting begin with the presentation from the E.S.B., followed by a Q&A session. After that, the meeting would proceed with the presentation from Coillte, followed by questions from the Elected Members. The Members agreed to this arrangement.

Mr. Watters delivered the presentation entitled 'ESB Networks Sligo.' He began by informing the meeting that he would provide the Members with an overview of the network and its operations. Additionally, he shared details on how storms are managed when they occur.

Their network configuration consists of
1) Electric generating station
2) Receiving station
3) Distribution station and
4) Residential customer.

The Regional Structure:  Planner Groups was outlined to the meeting.  Within their network, details were provided in relation to the 157,000 kilometres of overhead lines, 800 HV stations and 26,000 kilometres of underground cables.

Within the local region, the Sligo Planner Group network has

• 65,600 customers (including most of County Leitrim)
• 22 HV Stations (15 x 38kV, 8 x 110kV and 2 x 220kV Stations)
• 9,100 MV Sub-stations and
• 2,900 km of MV Network (2,760 km of MV overhead)

while the Ballina Planner Group network has

• 38,100 customers (Easkey, Enniscrone, Tubbercurry and north Mayo)
• 20 HV Stations (15 x 38kV and 5 x 110 kV Stations)
• 6,630 MV Sub-stations and
• 2,900 km of MV overhead.

Under their “Work programme”, Mr. Watters said that their number one priority is maintaining a safe network – safe for their employees to operate and safe for the public.  This was referred to as their Public Safety Programmes, 10 years Subs and planned maintenance

Other issues in that programme are:

• Continuity of supply
• New connections – G1, G2 and G3
• Asset replacement programmes – mini pillars, magnafix, TPS and metering
• 20kV conversion
• Fibre MR
• NNLCP – National network local connection programme
• Capital Line projects
• HV line Heli patrol and follow on
• HV stations ARMo
• HV stations capital project.

As had been referred to, Mr. Watters said there was a schedule for visiting and maintaining the network.  Details from the presentation indicated that this is as follows:

• Public Safety Programme – risk identification
• LV urban – 5 year cycle
• MV urban – 1 year cycle
• MV rural – 3 year cycle
• Mini pillars – 4 year cycle
• 38kV OH network – 2 year cycle (Heli patrol) and
• Transmission network – annual cycle.

Other network improvements brought to the attention of the Elected Members were

• Vegetation management
• Network automation
• New/refurbishment of existing network and
• Wildlife deterrence.

In referring to the purpose of the meeting, he then proceeded to provide details of ESB’s “Storm response”.  The organisation structure in respect of the area storm response was set out in detail for the members.  This was led by the National Emergency Response with a Storm Manager overseeing multiple groupings of relevant operators/teams and crews.  Their main priority is ensuring that the network is safe and, for this reason, there is a “Restoration Process”

• Make safe emergency situations and assess damage
• Where possible, restore supply remotely from the National Distribution Control Centre
• As the storm clears, crews are dispatched to repair and switch network so that power to the largest number of customers can be restored as quickly as possible. Focus is on the high voltage network first, followed by medium voltage
• Restore low voltage networks to individual homes and smaller groups of customers.
• Details of how the network is operated during storms was demonstrated under the headings of generation, transmission and distribution. The initial stage is the clearing of faults at generation and transmission, before moving on to distribution.

Members were shown photographic examples of damage to lines.  E.S.B. networks had found that storm damage from wind events was due to timber falling on the network.  A video highlighted that many different issues can be encountered.  It had taken several days to even access some sites due to falling timber before restoration work could commence.  The scale of clearance work required to gain access.  The lack of a corridor was also highlighted and evident from photographs of Dowra Woods in County Leitrim.  Trees at this location had reached a height of approximately 30 metres with the network sitting at approximately 12 metres.

In relation to powerline reconstruction, ongoing hazards with tree falls etc. were identified.  In the aftermath of a storm there is damage to the forestry already and this can result in trees falling in the period thereafter.

Four very large storms had occurred in recent years – Storm Éowyn in 2025 (184km/h), Storm Darragh in 2024 (141 km/h) , Storm Ophelia in 2017 (156 km/h) and Storm Darwin in 2014 (120 km/h).  The large numbers of customers affected were also demonstrated. 

The challenges from Storm Éowyn were summarised under the headings of scale, communications, resourcing, logistics and safety hazards.  All this was done with the safety of the public, staff and contractors at the forefront.  It was noteworthy that, in the course of their work, there were no incidents of fatalities or serious injuries.  This was testament to the staff and the safety procedures in place. 

Looking forward, Mr. Watters referred to the ESBN Winter 2025 Grid Resilience Plan.  In concluding his presentation, he provided a visual chart for the Members showing the areas worst affected during Storm Éowyn, the majority of those in the northwest region.  Damage from wind events affects vegetation and timber falls cause serious problems.  Discussions were ongoing with the Government Departments in terms of the Resilience Plan. 

Ms. Kehoe confirmed to the Cathaoirleach that the team were happy to take questions from the Members at this time.  The Presentation had given an overview, and she referred to the number of storm events in recent years with each one being successively worse.

Councillor Healy expressed gratitude to the Meetings Administrator for organising the distribution of all correspondence for the meeting. He acknowledged the significant role Councillors played in the aftermath of the storm and thanked the representatives from the E.S.B. and Coillte for attending the meeting, despite not being obligated to do so. He noted with disappointment that EIR and Uisce Éireann did not take the opportunity to speak with the Elected Members, opting instead to send 'Briefing notes' for the Members' information. The Members had hoped to share their insights on the ground situation. It was particularly disappointing that EIR did not attend, as one of the major issues was the loss of communications, especially for vulnerable individuals."

Councillors found it frustrating, particularly with E.S.B. Networks, that Elected Members do not have a direct line to contact them for follow-up on representations received from constituents. Despite advance notice of the storm's approach, crews were brought in from various locations identified in the Presentation, but this happened too late considering the early warning.

Referring to the chart under the heading 'Winter 2025 Grid Resilience Plan,' Councillor Healy highlighted that the northwest region of Ireland was the most prominently marked area. Members inquired about the future plans in place. They were informed that, in some instances, wayleaves were necessary to access private property. Some homes had been without power for three weeks, and it was noted that repairs were prioritised based on population sizes, with crews working through the system accordingly.

E.S.B. Networks staff had worked 24/7 following the storm and he was delighted to have it confirmed that no one had been injured.  This was due to the professionalism of the E.S.B. and this was to be commended.  Councillor Healy then had a number of queries for the team
- is the infrastructure in place and if is it up to standard,
- if the staff and crews are available should another similar storm happen and
- if the necessary laws and wayleaves are in place when access to private property is required. 

The E.S.B. had established a dedicated line for vulnerable customers. Councillor Healy mentioned that he had spoken with three families and managed to contact the E.S.B. through various channels, but was informed that priority could not be guaranteed for anyone. Fortunately, Councillor Healy was able to source generators for these families and inquired whether these customers would be contacted to arrange their own procedures for future events.

Councillor Clarke thanked the team for their presentation and agreed with Councillor Healy's remarks regarding the exceptional efforts of the E.S.B. crews during the storm. He questioned whether the team would acknowledge that the E.S.B. network in the northwest is inadequate. According to a recent E.U. report, this region experienced the highest number of outages, unexplained absences, and the longest power restoration times in Europe. He inquired if the team would admit that the prolonged delays in power restoration in the northwest are due to insufficient investment.

Councillor Mullaney added his thanks to the E.S.B. and Coillte for their attendance and emphasised the importance of allowing Elected Members to voice the concerns of their electorate. He shared his firsthand experience of a home without power for 14 days after Storm Éowyn and six days after Storm Darragh, along with neighbouring homes. While acknowledging the exceptional nature of the event, he felt that the network was not up to standard. He sought clarification on whether a risk assessment is conducted and mentioned hearing about inspections of the lines every three years during the presentation. He wanted to know who signed off on these assessments and what had been discovered during the surveys. He provided an example of a pole near his home, which had been in place since 1962 and should have been replaced at least ten years ago due to its poor condition. The team was asked to advise on the measures implemented to prevent future outages. The outlined effects included inoperable water supply pumps, difficulties with wastewater, and farming issues. He noted that the Carrick-on-Shannon area, including the town of Boyle, was without power for two days, causing shops to close and fuel to be unavailable. He stressed that the entire economy comes to a standstill during such times and that the E.S.B. has a significant responsibility. The map in the presentation showed that the northwest is the worst affected area, with substantial forestry coverage and lower land quality. Poles installed in wet ground tend to rot at the base. He concluded that there are many lessons to be learned and that government investment is required.

Mr. Staunton thanked the Members for their compliments to the E.S.B. networks team and was pleased that the Members recognised and appreciated the efforts undertaken. He acknowledged the challenges faced, with staff working extremely long hours.

Regarding the network's suitability, he emphasised that a significant amount of money is invested in the network. He disagreed with the notion that it was not fit for purpose, noting that the networks performed well during the last storm, with minimal instances of the network failing due to wind. Over 90% of the damage was caused by timber falls, not only from Coillte forestry but also from privately owned forestry and other vegetation. Timber is cut by the E.S.B. on a three-year cycle. Property owners often requested that only the bare minimum be removed from their property. While the E.S.B. has some statutory rights, they strive to work amicably with property owners. When these rights were enforced, it often led to unfavourable outcomes, so they aimed to operate with goodwill as much as possible.

In relation to forestry, the agreement in place is that they have is a 20-metre corridor on MV (medium volt) networks, i.e. 10,000/20,000 volts which services most of the locality.  When trees grew higher than the 10 metre either side of the lines, there could only be one result when they fall over and that was bringing down the network.  The agreement is currently being reviewed.  A delegation had been set up to work with all the relevant authorities and the outcome was unknown at present. 

Referring to Councillor Mullaney’s comment regarding the pole, the teams go out on their three-year inspection cycle.  The identification of rotten poles did not happen often as it was more often third-party, uncontrollable issues, e.g. due to machinery operations or wildlife.  As he had mentioned previously, the network stands up quite well.

The topic of installing a direct contact number frequently comes up, and Mr. Staunton mentioned that he cannot provide his mobile number. The provision of a contact number is currently under review. He explained that his direct number needs to remain available for contacting his teams on the ground. However, there is a contact number available for business customers.

Following the comments about having crews in place before the storm hits, Mr. Staunton said that they had to wait to see where the storm hit to identify the areas of damage.  They initially started with their own internal resources, followed by sought assistance from Northern Ireland Electricity Networks (N.I.E.) due to their proximity to the region. Since Storm Éowyn had affected the entire country, internal resources were slow to become available. Sourcing foreign crews posed a challenge, and they had to wait to determine where they were needed. In the past, it had been possible to mobilise internal resources sooner, but the widespread impact of the storm, including in N.I.E.'s work area, delayed the movement of crews. The volume of timber fall was unprecedented, and while they have their own data, Mr. Staunton believed that Coillte could confirm this.

Large numbers of homes were restored in the early stages, but as time went on, it became difficult to restore power to small groups of customers on low voltage lines. Addressing the points raised about vulnerable customers, Mr. Staunton sympathized with those affected and acknowledged some horrendous cases following Storm Éowyn. However, if power was not available in the locality, prioritising these customers was not possible. Normally, they are prioritised, but this was not feasible after that event. Fourteen harvesters had been operating in the region to clear the areas.

Mr. Staunton asked if the Members had any further queries. Councillor Mullaney referred to his comment about risk assessment. Mr. Staunton responded that a hazard patrol of networks is carried out on a three-year cycle and outlined what this involved to the meeting.

Councillor Healy confirmed that he had sought a direct line for contacting E.S.B.  He clarified that it was not being sought from any specific staff member.  It was for a dedicated line as they have in place with Irish Water.  The number is for access to a Local Representatives’ contact desk.  This was not unique to Sligo but for all Council Chambers.

Mr. Staunton mentioned that Mr. Sean Murphy, who handles corporate matters, had received numerous queries from Councillors, T.D.s, and Senators, which the E.S.B. had acknowledged. 

Although this issue had been raised frequently, Mr. Staunton was still uncertain whether a dedicated contact number would be established. Currently, only the emergency number is available, and he could not provide information about the implementation of other telephone numbers.

Councillor Mulvey presented a photo to the meeting, highlighting serious vegetation overhanging powerlines along a road. He informed the team that he could provide the Eircode for the location in question. The wires are being bent and are at risk of falling. After further inquiries, he was advised by an E.S.B. staff member that they cannot address the issue until the wires break, as the problem is on private property. In his opinion, this approach is too late and could lead to outages for numerous premises. He suggested that if Members had a channel to log such issues in advance, it could alert the Networks teams to trim the branches and prevent problems during storms.

Councillor Mulvey mentioned that the Chief Executive of the E.S.B.'s retraction of comments about customers not having to pay for storm damage was very welcome, as it had caused concern among many people he had spoken with. He suggested that if the E.S.B. utilised the assistance of the 18 Councillors covering all of County Sligo by providing them with a channel to log information, they could identify many issues in advance.

Councillor Taylor, in his comments, thanked the representatives for attending the meeting.  Recognition was given to the staff of Sligo County Council, E.S.B., Uisce Éireann, EIR, staff from other countries and all frontline staff for their response following the two unprecedented storms. 

There had been a lot of understandable anger in the community.  There did not appear to be enough collaboration between the different agencies i.e. E.S.B., Coillte, private forestry owners, EIR and Uisce Éireann and Sligo County Council in the build up to the storm.  It was recognised that, in recent years, storms are getting worse and he sought confirmation that there had been collaboration since.

Councillor Taylor then referred to ongoing power outages in the areas worst affected by the storms and he enquired if this is an aftermath of the storm events.  Frustration was evident in the west of Ireland as it appeared the region was the last area to have proper structures in place.  He sought the assistance of the representatives at the meeting to fight for those structures.  The public had to see that all Bodies were working collaboratively.

In welcoming the representatives to the meeting, Councillor Gibbons noted that the storm had provided an opportunity for the Elected Members to meet with them, an event that might not have occurred otherwise. His primary concern was the promotion and reliance on a single energy source, which had proven to be vulnerable during the storms. He sought confirmation from the E.S.B. representatives that there is a plan in place to meet the public's associated demands. Additionally, he inquired about the possibility of placing cables underground, which he believed would solve many problems in the long term.

While staff of the public bodies had not been permitted to operate for the duration of the red warning, the Media appeared to portray members of the public out clearing roads, etc. as heroes.  If Emergency Services then had to go out to assist them, they were putting the staff in those services at risk.  He asked that the Media would the media stop glorifying people who take such risks during these times.

Mr. Staunton responded in relation to staff not being permitted to work during the storm.  The storm had passed by about 10.30 a.m. on the Friday morning.  All the teams were out working by midday.  Prior to that point, staff would only be sent out in an extreme emergency, i.e. to make safe a situation at the request of An Garda Síochána, Ambulance Service, etc.  Some staff had to bring chainsaws in their vehicles leaving home to clear paths to get to their bases.  Details were then provided of outages they had experienced in the plants in various areas and the challenges this presented. 

In relation to the enquiry re. undergrounding of cables, Mr. Staunton spoke of the terrain in rural Ireland.  For him, this was physically impossible.  There is a fee of €4,000 for a once-off connection.  The actual costs involved were much higher than that sum.  Should the lines go underground, he did not know who would pay for the works and it seemed impractical for the thousands of kilometres involved.  The ideal situation is that all timber was not within falling distance of their lines.  In his view, the E.S.B. should not be responsible for, or should it fall to them to deal with, every bit of timber along the lines.

Regarding the collaboration between all groups, an emergency group had been established and the E.S.B. are represented on it.  They meet days in advance of any forecasted weather event.  Sligo County Council is also represented on that group.  Feedback is received from those meetings to the relevant staff to allow them to have a plan in place. 

Following recent events, a senior manager has been appointed in the E.S.B. to review the last storm and how it would be dealt with again.  There was a manager examining the situation with timber and they had met with Minister Healy-Rae recently to discuss relevant legislation/guidance.  The document prepared following their meeting was publicly available and was referred to as “Resilience 2025”

The capacity on the networks is a challenge with more and more people moving to E.V. cars, heat pumps, etc.  A team had been set up to examine this demand in detail together with the investment in the network, plan for the future, examine sites and planning permission.  This often meant working in Special Areas of Conservation, requiring input from Parks and Wildlife and carry out screening.  This work is challenging for the E.S.B.

Bringing in staff from Europe takes a lot of managing locally. Their rules are often different, e.g. around safety, their use of different tools and equipment and local crews had to be split up to assign a supervisor to them.

After every storm, a full review is carried out, Ms. Kehoe informed the meeting.  The 2025 Winter Resilience Plan had been published and is available on their website.  A lot of work was ongoing at present and, as had been mentioned, a senior manager has been appointed as the Network Resilience and climate adaption. The Department of Agriculture, Coillte and other Bodies are also involved in those works. 

In relation to timber, there had to be more of a social acceptance that timber had to be cut.  Therefore, people had to allow them access to clear timber away from the lines.  Forestry corridors needed to have more of a statutory footing.  At present, they are relying on landowners and had a good working relationship with Coillte.  Huge amounts of forestry now have private owners.  The E.S.B. are dependent on those developers coming to them when they are planting and it was hoped to change that.  Forestry becomes a challenge for the E.S.B. when it matures.  A lot of the current issues/challenges are stemming from forestry planted in the 1990s.  Ms. Kehoe’s understanding is that when the current review is completed, their report will also be published. 

As had been highlighted, agreements are in place with various utilities in the United Kingdom.  This was well established and they could call on those resources when needed.  Resources had been provided from Norway, Sweden and Finland that would not have been availed of previously.  The call for that assistance had been issued straight away and huge support had been provided by European counterparts.  Due to the logistics, it had taken three to four days for some of those staff to travel across Europe, bringing their own tools and equipment.  Other crews travelled by air and had to be provided with tools when they arrived.  Work is ongoing at present with the European utilities to learn from the storm and decide what agreements could be put in place on a formal basis. 

This was a high-level overview and the E.S.B. does invest heavily in the networks.  E.S.B. Networks is regulated and work closely with the Commission for Regulations of Utilities.  Work programmes are reviewed on a five-year basis with this being the final year of the current programme.  Every price review had involved an investment of approximately €1bn per year into the network.  The intention is to continue this investment to ensure the continuity and resilience of the network, public safety and increasing capacity. 

Councillor Higgins said she did not wish to repeat the various points raised by her colleagues but extended her thanks to the representatives for attending.  This showed the respect to both the Chamber and, more importantly, the people of Sligo that the E.S.B. and Coillte representatives had taken the time to attend.  It was disappointing that both EIR and Uisce Éireann did not show the same level of accountability and respect.  The presentation was appreciated and the visual effect of seeing the trees falling the impact was evident. 

There had been several references to “if” the next storm happens.  This should be “when” as, due to climate change, it was known that they were coming.  The impact of these extreme weather events could be seen.  The most recent one had been a major wakeup call for everyone.  The Resilience Plan had to be just that – Ireland as a country must be resilient to respond to those events. 

In terms of lessons learned, Councillor Higgins referred to the mention of difficulties encountered by E.S.B. teams with communications due to power outages.  As had been identified by Councillor Mulvey earlier, the higher technology is in use, the more dependent everyone is on electricity for everything.  Some other communications options may need to be examined

Councillor Gallagher thanked the representatives for attending and referred to queries raised by his colleagues.  He advised them that his background is as an Electrician so he is well aware of power outages.  Fortunately, he had contacts within the E.S.B..  He was contacting them on numerous occasions and, once people became aware of that contact, he received many more representations. 

Councillor Gallagher highlighted the inefficiency of the current system, where multiple crews are involved in fixing a single issue, leading to delays and manpower wastage. He criticised the lack of investment in the E.S.B. network, pointing out that poles installed in the 1960s and 1970s are still in use, despite having a lifespan of 15 years. He emphasised the need for a direct contact line for emergencies and better coordination with other power groups. He also stressed the importance of undergrounding lines to prevent outages caused by vegetation and trees, suggesting that no forestry licenses be issued unless lines are placed underground or rerouted.

Councillor E. McSharry expressed gratitude to the representatives for their presentation. She was encouraged by the lessons learned between storms Darragh and Éowyn, which led to quicker response times. She hoped for similar improvements in future storms and looked forward to reviewing the 'Resilience Plan' to see if the points raised at the meeting were included.  The key message she emphasised was the need for a direct line to the E.S.B., similar to the one in place with Uisce Éireann. Unlike Councillor Gallagher, she did not have contacts within the E.S.B. and understood that staff like Mr. Staunton could not respond to calls while managing their teams. However, a direct line for Elected Representatives making representations on behalf of their constituents was essential. Vulnerable individuals, who may not be digitally literate, rely on Councillors for representation, and a two-way feedback system would provide valuable information to the E.S.B.  She concluded on a positive note, acknowledging the hard work of the representatives and their teams, who worked 24/7 to respond to the emergency. She stressed the need for infrastructure and legislation to ensure effective responses in the future."

Mr. Staunton acknowledged the need for a contact number, which had been a recurring request from Members. This feedback would be strongly communicated after the meeting.  Addressing Councillor Gallagher's points, he emphasised that vegetation and timber are the biggest issues, despite the network's quality. While there is a good relationship with Coillte, resistance from property owners often hinders necessary timber cutting.  The E.S.B. received distressing calls about vulnerable individuals, such as those on end-of-life care. While they tried to divert resources, it was impossible to prioritise every case. Regarding Tubbercurry station, the line was down for several days due to timber damage, affecting many towns and villages.  On the topic of duplication, Mr. Staunton admitted there might have been minimal duplication. Initial site assessments are crucial and feed back to base, with thousands of calls received after the last event.  He noted that the E.S.B. did not contact utilities for several days but welcomed any assistance. The E.S.B. knew early on that repairs would be prolonged.  Communication and network outages posed significant challenges. Efforts included using Tetra radios, but these systems were down due to their high-altitude locations. Generators were sourced to restore power, but contacting ground staff was difficult without mobile coverage.  Mr. Staunton concluded that Elected Members sought quicker access to up-to-date information to communicate with their constituents. This feedback was clearly understood and would be relayed.

Councillor Gilroy thanked the representatives for attending and acknowledged the monumental work done by individuals to restore power after the storm. He appreciated the planning for such rare events and emphasised the importance of taking warnings seriously, noting the unfortunate fatality in Donegal.  He highlighted the need for a dedicated contact line, as many rural residents rely on their local Councillors for communication. He suggested that the E.S.B. utilise the 949 Councillors in Ireland to communicate with people on the ground and prioritise the replacement of old poles. He also inquired about the possibility of undergrounding high voltage lines.  Councillor Gilroy pointed out the disparity in infrastructure, noting that Sligo has only two 220kv stations for 65,000 people, while Ballina has five for 38,000 people. He called for investment in a 400kv station for Sligo and emphasized the need for infrastructure investment in Donegal, which lacks 220kv stations.

Councillor Casserly thanked the representatives for their informative presentation and the work they do, extending gratitude to the families of all staff for their support during challenging times. She appreciated Kevin's clear communication and emphasised the importance of relaying such messages before and during storms to help the public understand the vastness and complexity of the work involved. She suggested using all available media channels, including local stations like Ocean FM, Midwest Radio, and Shannonside, to keep people informed. She also stressed the importance of communicating the need for co-operation from landowners to allow E.S.B. networks to cut trees.  Councillor Casserly urged Elected Members from Government parties to convey the message to the Government, alongside the E.S.B. representatives, about the high VAT rates. She highlighted that households in Ireland pay 30% above the EU average, making them the third highest behind Germany and Denmark, with an average household paying over €350 more per year. She stressed that any future mention of customers paying for storm damage is unfair and should be avoided by the Head of Communications at the E.S.B.  Regarding underground wires and cabling, she noted the high cost of at least €1bn and questioned who would bear this expense. She pointed out the success of the Vacant Property grant and the increasing adoption of solar panels. She urged the representatives to advocate for incentivising grants for solar panels and battery storage, which can sustain basic services for a few days. She emphasised the benefits of new technologies over solid fuel and called for an information campaign alongside grants to promote solar panels and battery storage, catering to various premises and community hubs.

Councillor Brennan thanked the representatives and advised them that he is from the rural area of County Sligo which includes Geevagh, Gleann, Highwood and Ballinafad.  This area had been affected by outages during Storm Éowyn.  As had been said by numerous Councillors, and which had been acknowledged by the E.S.B. representatives, there had been huge frustrations with the communications at the time. 

Councillor Brennan stated that trees are the biggest problem, not just timber. He mentioned the need for quick fixes before future storms, such as installing a communications line similar to Uisce Éireann's. While the E.S.B. representatives noted they have over 100,000 customers, Councillors in Sligo have 65,000 customers who can access their publicly available phone numbers. This would enable Councillors to assist those seeking help or provide updates on restoration timelines. Of the 18 Elected Members of Sligo County Council, about ten were directly affected by the January storm. It is not a big ask for these Members to have a direct line to the E.S.B. for urgent communication.

Regarding trees, he hoped Coillte representatives would provide better news. He suggested widening the corridors beyond the 20 meters mentioned by Mr. Staunton. Coillte controls its forestry, and any privately owned forestry should be examined to widen corridors. The map showed the north and northwest were most affected by power outages. Crews should be brought in from unaffected areas to clear lines before the next storm.  The two main requests from Elected Members are widening corridor widths and establishing a communication line for Councillors. This is not a big ask, and the E.S.B. can be assured that Members would only call when necessary. Councillor Brennan appreciated Sligo County Council's promotion of community hubs providing hot meals and hotel stays during distressing times. He urged Coillte to address corridor widths urgently and insisted that forestry applications should include wider corridors.

Mr. Staunton said there were many questions and it was difficult to respond to them all.  In relation to forestry being planted, planning permission, etc., he said that did not come before the E.S.B.  There is an agreement in place where people are compensated for the 20 metre corridor which must be sterilised.  To change the width would require a change in legislation. 

The acknowledgement of safety issues was welcomed by Mr. Staunton.  Sometimes that goes unseen in relation to all utilities. 

In relation to design or locations for poles, they did endeavour to work with landowners.  However, most landowners wanted them located along a ditch and this is where most vegetation/timber is on that land. 

In response to the query regarding a 400kv line coming into the area, to his knowledge the nearest one is in Galway.  Should it be installed in the area, some people would object to its installation.  At present, capacity was not that tight in the northwest.  There was no customer/business that had been told they could not be connected due to capacity. 

Mr. Staunton had not seen the statistics regarding outages quoted by Councillor Gilroy and he asked Mr. Watters to address this comment.  The meeting was informed that the increase in outages was due to the increase in wind events.  In 2022 there had been eight storm days, in 2023 there had been 21, eight of which were associated with nighttime events and the other 13 were wind and snow events.  In 2024, that increased to 24 storms days and this accounted for the increase from 2023 to 2024.  Three of those days were lightning days.  This was a change from 13 wind and snow events to 21 wind and snow events within a space of 12 months.  This had really impacted the restoration and follow on impacts with interruption to service.

In relation to solar panels on homes and back up batteries, there is a lot of information available and he had attended a Roadshow recently with Eirgrid.  A lot of information had been available regarding grant assistance and this could be found on websites.  He felt that the Elected Members could share that with the people they represent. 

Regarding messaging on local radio etc., this is something that the E.S.B. already undertake.  Local information had been conveyed by this route after the last storm.  People like himself at the coalface were trying to stay focused on their job and other people had to manage that aspect. 

It was upsetting when power was restored in areas but there were pockets of outages.  This causes huge frustrations for some customers as they can see that local homes have had their power restored.  This could involve a small number of houses but the line serving those homes could have huge damage. 

The Cathaoirleach thanked the E.S.B. representatives for their presentation and their candid responses to the Members' concerns. He, along with the Councillors, thanked the Management and workers for braving harsh conditions to restore power to the community. The Councillors were speaking not only for themselves but on behalf of the entire community. He then requested the E.S.B. representatives to stay for the Coillte presentation.

 

COILLTE PRESENTATION

Mr. Darren Reynolds, BAU1 Estate Manager presented a Storm Éowyn update on behalf of Coillte.  He also introduced his colleague, Mr. Brian McGarraghy who is the Coillte Estates Forester covering Sligo and north Leitrim. 

Mr. Reynolds reported that Storm Éowyn caused extensive damage to about 24,000 hectares of forestry, equally affecting Coillte and privately owned forests. Coillte's initial priority was to support the National Emergency Co-ordination Group, power companies, and local communities by clearing trees to restore road access and services. Coillte staff and contractors continue to clear fallen trees and hazards. They urge the public to avoid forests with visible storm damage or ongoing clearance operations, as fallen and overhanging trees can be extremely dangerous and should only be cleared by trained operators.

Images from Sligo and Mayo showed the extensive windblown damage to productive forests, with 80-100% affected. Additional images depicted wind-snap trees on the Coolaney mountain bike trail, which remains partially closed. These trees, which had withstood tornadoes in America, snapped due to the unprecedented storm in January. Coillte handed over their harvesters to local authorities and the E.S.B. to clear roads for emergency access. Recreation sites in Sligo and Mayo were closed, with Mr. McGarraghy working tirelessly to reopen them. The meeting also saw images of the massive destruction in Coillte Forest Recreation Areas. Only 25% of the E.S.B. network runs through Coillte forests, with the remaining 75% through privately owned forests.  Storm Éowyn had been an unprecedented storm event, causing extensive and significant damage to Irish forests, both Coillte and privately owned.

Assessment of the damage caused remains underway using the latest satellite technology.  Day-by-day satellite imagery was being fed back into their offices.  Approximately 80% of the damage has been surveyed to date.  Coillte is collaborating and supporting national efforts through the Windblow Taskforce established by Minister Michael Healy-Rae.  Planning is underway to mobilise the blown timber as safely and efficiently as possible.  Works are also underway to safely re-open recreational forests as soon as possible.  In concluding his visual presentation, Mr. Reynolds thanked their neighbours and stakeholders for their patience and for highlighting any damage as they clear the most urgent areas as a priority. 

Councillor Healy thanked the Coillte representatives for attending and for their work in opening up forests to the public and collaborating with authorities and landowners. He highlighted the damage shown in Mr. Reynold’s presentation on the Coolaney Mountain Bike trail and noted the close cooperation between E.S.B. and Coillte.  He pointed out that only 25% of the lines are in Coillte-owned forests and mentioned the Windblown Task Force. He hoped Minister Healy-Rae would address the issue, as farmers are unhappy with the government's handling of the situation. Councillors aim to work with the represented bodies to find a solution.  Councillor Healy asked if Coillte is addressing Ash dieback and other tree issues with local authorities. He also inquired about funding to reopen forests for public use, acknowledging Mr. Garraghy's work with community groups. He emphasised the importance of addressing corridor widths to prevent tree fall damage and updating the 1927 Act to improve access to forests and contact with owners.

Councillor Taylor thanked the Coillte representatives for attending the meeting and highlighted that trees continue to be a significant problem. He noted the lack of forward planning, as previous storms had caused similar issues in the same areas, such as Culfadda and Ballinafad. He pointed out that while planning permission is required for a house on less than half an acre, hundreds of acres of forestry can be planted without it. He questioned whether there is a plan in place to prevent future occurrences and if the types of trees being planted are suitable for the ground.  Councillor Taylor also raised concerns about the timing of tree felling, questioning whether trees are being felled when necessary or when timber prices are high. He emphasised the need for significant work in the forestry sector, as much land is planted without regulation.

Councillor Gilroy thanked the Coillte representatives and acknowledged his past interactions with Mr. McGarraghy, appreciating his work on the Heritage Forum. He praised Coillte's immense performance, noting that once they gained access, they provided additional facilities to the E.S.B., County Council, and others due to their expertise in dealing with fallen trees. Founded in the 1980s as a commercial, semi-state body, Coillte's main role is to return a profit for taxpayers. Despite this, their work sometimes impacts services, but they carry it out conscientiously. The main issues lie with private and commercial forestry companies. Having a forester in the family, Councillor Gilroy is aware of the challenges and asked Coillte to continue their vital work. He noted that the local authority did not question who would pay the teams cutting trees along the road, as their first priority was to help, which was evident from the presentation.

Mr. Reynolds thanked the Elected Members for their kind words. He explained that Coillte checks forestry boundaries along public roads for ash dieback and dangerous trees, working with local authorities to address any issues. Removing these trees may require road closures. Updated regulations have set forestry back from the roads, and forests near roads are being felled as they mature. Once the current crop is removed, the situation will improve.

Funding has been approved under the annual allocation for maintenance of their sites.  With the damage following storms Darragh and Éowyn, the normal allocations were not sufficient.  A meeting had taken place with the recreation team, the Head of Coillte and Government representatives.  Following this, funding had been approved and it was hoped that all the recreation sites would be restored to their previous condition. 

Work was continuing on forestry corridors with the E.S.B. based on the legislation currently in place.  Coillte cannot change the corridors in advance of any change in legislation.  In the case of private forests, they also had to plant up to the permitted setback.  If they did not, they were going against their terms and conditions and will not get paid their premium.  Until the legislation and conditions are changed, this will remain the case.  These sites are inspected and if they are not planted up to the setback they will lose their grants. 

On the matter of planning for storms, there is a Forester in each county base.  They all have their own initial plans.  Any time there is a storm or weather event, they work closely and have contractors available for emergency works.  As with the other Bodies, they do not carry out any works during a red alert.  Planning is in place from the early days to deal with the storms.  This highlights the areas where there is potential for tree fall based on experience and knowledge.  Emphasis was placed on allowing companies access to communication masts. 

Planning is highly regulated and it is difficult to get forestry planted.  This can take between two to three years.  These regulations come back from the Forestry Service as the planning authority.  Until any changes are made to these regulations, they have to work within what is in place. 

The main tree type in Ireland is Spruce.  This is the main construction timber in Europe.  This is what is used in roof construction and is an extremely good construction timber.  Pine is for pulp wood, MDF and fibre board.  What is grown is highly regulated and approved construction grade timber. 

Felling time is dictated by when they have matured.  They cannot be cut when they are too small.  In this region, tree rotation is approximately 23-25 years.  In other areas, tree rotation is 30 to 40 years. 

In relation to tree type, there are native woodlands that were equally affected as those with Sitka Spruce so they could not dwell on tree type.  It had been an unprecedented storm with hurricane level winds. 

Councillor Nealon thanked the Coillte representatives for attending the meeting and addressed the damage at the Coolaney Mountain Bike trail. He noted significant delays in reopening the trails, with community feedback suggesting that 70% could have been reopened sooner, while 30% required machinery work. Prior to Storm Éowyn, there was a perceived lack of maintenance on the trails, despite millions being spent on them. He also highlighted signage issues, particularly near the Famine village, which remains unopened despite being completed two years ago. Councillor Nealon asked if the Coillte representatives were aware of these issues and if they had a plan to address them and prevent Coolaney from becoming a white elephant.

Councillor Mulvey extended further thanks to the Coillte representatives, noting the respect they had, similar to the E.S.B. He mentioned that some of his points had already been covered. From his home, he can see the Mountain Bike Centre in Coolaney. While there was frustration with the delays in reopening, he witnessed the damage along the Ox Mountains, which is an extremely exposed location. Although it was frustrating to find the centre closed, safety must be the main priority for any site.  Compliments were extended to Mr. McGarraghy in relation to the interactions he had with him in the past.  On his own behalf, he wished to thank Mr. McGarraghy publicly for all the input he had received.  He proceeded to outline instances of where Coillte trees were overgrown onto public roads, these were speedily resolved.  This was something that the E.S.B. needed to look at.  The photo Councillor Mulvey would furnish to them would show a tree which was in that position for three months.  Generally, once contact was made with Coillte they were quick to respond.  The two-way communication worked and the public see the results which is very positive. 

Councillor Mullaney thanked the Coillte representatives for attending and praised their ground crews for their efforts in clearing areas after the storm, allowing E.S.B. workers to address issues. He emphasised the importance of liaising with the E.S.B. to keep corridors open and expressed confidence in their cooperation. He pointed out that 75% of the lines run through private forests and suggested creating a register of private forests with contact details. Owners should sign documents permitting access after storms, and corridor retention should be monitored. He noted that some forests were planted before the 20-meter corridor rule and that maintaining contact with private forestry owners could have mitigated the situation. With private planting expanding rapidly, he stressed the need for legislation to prevent planting near power lines to avoid future outages.

Councillor Gallagher thanked the Coillte representatives for attending and acknowledged that maintaining corridors is not Coillte's job. He noted that permission for forestry is granted faster than for houses and reminded colleagues of the challenges faced during the three to four weeks after the storm. In his area, there is not a five-meter corridor for E.S.B. lines, which is unacceptable. He emphasised the need for safety measures to prevent future outages, suggesting that corridors should be wide enough to accommodate falling trees. He appreciated the attendance of both bodies and asked them to recall the difficulties experienced in January, inquiring how many of the five attendees were without power and for how long.

The Cathaoirleach asked the Coillte representatives to respond to the points raised. 

Mr. Reynolds confirmed that Coillte does not maintain the corridors, as they are not permitted to work under or near power lines. There is a minimum distance they must observe, and legally, if trees need to be felled within that zone, a power outage and a forestry licence are required. When trees are close to felling, Coillte will obtain a licence and proceed, which necessitates a power outage from the E.S.B. The E.S.B. is responsible for maintaining the corridors and their own power lines. While the Working Group may change the processes, this is currently beyond Coillte's control.

Regarding the queries about the Coolaney trail, Mr. McGarraghy explained that blocked roads prevented people from accessing their homes and farmers from reaching their stock, so Coillte had to prioritise their work. Safety was their main focus, and a staff member in Sligo, who covers the west of Ireland, manages the trail. Despite efforts to keep people off the trail during works, 75% of it is now open. Signage was removed recently, and further funding is being sought for the remaining works. Mr. McGarraghy emphasised the importance of safety and asked for understanding from the Members. He is committed to restoring the facility as soon as possible, depending on funding, and Coillte has been helping the public and stakeholders in any way they can.

Councillor Brennan expressed his disappointment that Coillte cannot widen corridor widths, even in their own forests. He asked if the same applies to private forests. He stressed the importance of this task, warning that without it, they would face the same issues later in the year. He stressed that the E.S.B. must cut the corridors and bring in necessary resources to do so.

In response, Mr. Staunton from the E.S.B. said that they cannot widen the corridor widths. The corridor is 20 metres for MV networks.  Any change will take an intervention by way of legislation.  While he would be happy to see them widened, he was sure that negotiations would have to take place around a compensation package.  The piece of land sterilised for the corridor is the piece the landowners are compensated for. 

Ms. Kehoe said that there is a lot of work ongoing and the E.S.B. is not a forestry management company.  Discussions were ongoing with the Department of Agriculture, E.S.B. and Coillte in relation to forestry to plan for the future. 

Mr. Staunton added that Members were correct that when the corridor is only 20 metres, this will cause problems going forward, even without major storms.  Storm Éowyn weakened their network but weakened a lot of timber also. 

Councillor Brennan referred to earlier points made by Councillor Gallagher regarding lines with only a five metre corridor either side and asked if that could be sorted out. 

Mr. Reynolds confirmed that meetings had taken place with the E.S.B. in relation to these sites.  They are aware of where the issues are and they have collaborated with them and put plans in place.  They also work closely with them on the ground.  If Coillte were granted permission, had a power outage and were working nearby, they would offer a machine to go and clear the line and try and get issues resolved.  There is such a large network running through forestry that some of the areas will be missed.  Any areas that Members wished to highlight could be flagged with Coillte, including to himself.  These issues would then be brought to the attention of the E.S.B. 

The Cathaoirleach concluded this element of the meeting by thanking the representatives from Coillte and the E.S.B. for their presentations and positive responses. He noted that the meeting was useful, allowing Members to raise issues, and appreciated the frank responses from both Bodies. He expressed confidence that the issues raised would be taken on board and that everyone had learned from the meeting.  He also mentioned that it was unfortunate EIR and Uisce Éireann were not available, but the local authority would follow up on this at their next meeting."

 

OTHER MATTERS FOR THE ELECTED MEMBERS:

The Cathaoirleach mentioned that there was a plan to meet with the Arts Officer after the meeting, but it was uncertain if that would still take place.

He also reminded members of the Procedures Committee meeting scheduled for 4:00 p.m. and the Civic Reception for Dr. Una Mannion at 5:30 p.m.

 

END OF MEETING:

The business of the Meeting concluded at 12.50pm.

Meeting Date 26/05/2025