Sinn Fein spokesperson on Agriculture, Rural and Community Development, Martin Kenny TD, is calling on the ESB, forestry companies and forestry owners to take responsibility for recent power outages from the recent storm and previous storms this year.

Teachta Kenny said:

“The recent storm Darragh has caused devastation throughout the country with power outages and loss of water supply. I must commend the work of the local authorities ESB crews, Usice Eireann workers and volunteers on the trojan work they are doing to get power and water supplies back up and running.

“In most cases trees falling on lines is the reason for power outages. With more of these big storms and weather events power outages are becoming too common and we need to be doing more to prevent power outages.

“I am calling on the ESB, forestry companies and forestry owners to take responsibility for ensuring trees are cut back so that they cannot fall on power lines. Our electricity network is a vital piece of infrastructure for the Country, and it needs to be protected.

“It is my understanding that ESB is given wayleaves to cut trees that are a danger to power lines in all new forest plantations for the last 20 years or so. There may be older forest plantations that they don’t have wayleaves for.

“There needs to be investment in protecting the electricity network by the ESB and ensuring that all power lines are protected from falling trees. In those forests that the ESB doesn’t have way leaves then the forest companies or forest owners should be forced to grant the way leaves or else be responsible for cutting back the trees from the power lines themselves.

“Vital infrastructure such as water and electricity networks need to be protected.”