COUNTY mayor Cllr Joe Carroll (FF) has said that it was an ‘absolute disgrace’ that some people in Connaught and other areas around the country were without electricity or water for almost three weeks in the aftermath of Storm Éowyn.
He was commenting following a motion raised by his colleague Cllr Ian Doyle who called on Uisce Éireann to install generators in all water plants.
He said it is ‘absolutely ridiculous’ that the water plants do not have back-up generators in the event of electricity being knocked out.
‘We’ve seen the devastation of Storm Éowyn and the previous three storms and the huge effect they have had on electricity. The knock-on effect of electricity being cut off is that the water plants need electricity to operate,’ said Cllr Doyle.
‘In this day and age it’s ridiculous that Uisce Éireann do not have back-up generators for all water plants in the event of long power outages. It should be a priority for all water plants.’
Cllr Doyle said that if the electricity is knocked off for any reason then the reservoir goes dry and homeowners are then without water for days on end.
His colleague, Cllr Frank O’Flynn, seconded the motion and agreed that the generators were needed.
He said all new houses in rural areas should have an automatic switchover to tractor-given generators if the power goes out and said this should be looked at during the planning stage.
‘This should certainly happen for houses in rural areas,’ said Cllr O’Flynn.
Councillors agreed to write to Uisce Éireann, junior minister Kevin ‘Boxer’ Moran and Housing Minister James Browne to suggest that as part of capital investment, generators should be installed in all water plants.
