Brussels (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – The EU activated its Civil Protection Mechanism to aid Ireland after storm Éowyn, sending power generators and providing analytical support through Copernicus.
According to the European Commission, following Ireland’s appeal for assistance linked to power outages forced by the record-breaking storm Éowyn, the EU Civil Protection Mechanism has been triggered. It said that the European Union has instantly gathered 13 power generators from the EU Commission’s strategic reserve, rescEU, stationed in Poland. 4 power generators delivered by Denmark through the Mechanism will also soon arrive in Ireland and support provide electricity on the ground.
Moreover, the European Union also activated the Copernicus Emergency Management Service and has delivered analytical assistance to the national management. The EU’s Emergency Response Coordination Centre persists in closely monitoring the circumstances. It remains in constant touch with the national authorities, assuring that additional assistance can be promptly conducted if required.
In her remarks, EU Commissioner for Preparedness, Crisis Management, and Equality, Hadja Lahbib, said:
Extreme weather events, like storm Éowyn, increasingly put Europe’s disaster resilience to the test. But they also demonstrate the growing strength of our joint preparedness and solidarity efforts. I thank Denmark for their prompt offer of assistance and Poland for their excellent collaboration in hosting and delivering the rescEU power generators to Ireland. We are in this together.
How severely did Storm Éowyn cause the damage in Ireland?
Storm Éowyn has wreaked havoc on Ireland with record-breaking winds and widespread power outages that have crippled daily life. At the height of the storm, about 768,000 homes in Ireland had lost power.
As of January 27, 2025, about 204,000 customers remained affected. ESB Networks reported the greatest damage to their network ever recorded as a result of extreme weather events. Public transportation services were adversely affected, with hundreds of flights canceled at all major airports, such as Dublin and Belfast. Schools closed, and fallen trees and debris obstructed roads.
