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Storm Éowyn Leaves 100,000 Irish Homes Without Broadband, Power, and Water

 In the wake of Storm Éowyn, around 100,000 homes and businesses across Ireland remain without broadband, as operators grapple with extensive damage to infrastructure. Additionally, approximately 180,000 premises are still without electricity, with 30,000 unlikely to regain power until February 5. Water supplies have also been disrupted for 100,000 premises.


Broadband Disruptions
Eir, Ireland's largest broadband provider, reports that 50,000 customers remain disconnected, while the National Broadband Ireland (NBI) network counts 32,000 customers without service. The three primary mobile operators—Vodafone, Three, and Eir—have also acknowledged significant service interruptions.

Despite ongoing restoration efforts, telecom operators describe the destruction as unprecedented, citing damaged poles, fibre lines, and power outages as the primary causes. A spokesperson for NBI referred to the damage as "extensive," attributing it to a combination of power failures and fibre breaks.

While smaller operators such as Siro and Virgin have fewer affected customers—under 1,000—mobile broadband services are also severely impacted. Three, the largest mobile broadband provider, confirmed disruptions affecting over 11% of its telecom sites, leaving 4% of its customer base offline.

Electricity and Water Supply Challenges
ESB Networks is spearheading the largest electricity grid repair operation in Irish history. Of the 768,000 premises initially affected, nearly 600,000 have been reconnected. However, 100,000 homes in the most severely affected areas may remain without power until after January 31, with 30,000 of these possibly waiting until February 5.

Communities in Clare, Galway, Mayo, Roscommon, Cavan, and Donegal are among the worst affected. Specialist repair crews from the UK, France, and Scandinavia have been deployed to assist Irish teams. In the Aran Islands, electricity has largely been restored, except for Inishmaan, where industrial generators have been transported to aid water supply restoration.

Margaret Attridge of Uisce Éireann confirmed round-the-clock efforts to restore water to affected areas, with support from the Coast Guard in remote locations.

Community and Government Response
Tánaiste Simon Harris commended the efforts of ESB Networks, Uisce Éireann, and telecom repair crews, emphasizing that "everything possible is being done" to restore essential services. However, rural campaigners criticized the government’s response, particularly the confusion surrounding utility hubs for water and charging facilities in storm-hit areas.

Irish Rural Link CEO Séamus Boland expressed concern over the collapse of phone networks, which left many rural communities effectively cut off. "It was very scary for a lot of people to realize they were isolated," he said.

Looking Ahead
The restoration of power, water, and communication services remains a priority, with repair teams working tirelessly to address the widespread devastation caused by Storm Éowyn. Despite significant progress, the recovery process highlights the vulnerabilities of Ireland’s critical infrastructure in the face of extreme weather events.

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