Tag Archives: Storm Darwin

FIANNA Fáil TD for Clare and spokesperson on Tourism, Timmy Dooley has accused the Government of holding back funding for storm repairs in County Clare. Towns like Lahinch, Kilkee and Doolin were severely battered by Storm Darwin back in February and communities are now working on the restoration effort before the busy summer season. However, Deputy Doley said there are now concerns about the level of fundingbeing made available by the Office of Public Works. “This winter saw some of the most severe storms in recent history hit the west coast, damaging homes, businesses, roads and other essential infrastructure.  Since the end of February work has been underway to repair all the damage, however the Government funding of €16 million falls well short of the mark,” Deputy Dooley maintained. Clare County Council has estimated that the damage will cost almost €37 million to repair, but the Government has allocated less than half of that for the work. “Minister Hayes’ short-sightedness …

KILKEE businessman Johnny Redmond has reacted angrily to Councillor Gabriel Keating’s suggestion that business in the town remains unaffected by the yet to be repaired damage to the seawall and parts of the Strand Line. Kilkee was extensively damaged during Storm Darwin last February. The road in front of his business is remains impassable. “The Strand Bistro and Restaurant is currently located at what I would call Ground Zero. Left and right of me the roads are completely closed. I have absolutely no passing trade or won’t have passing trade for the whole summer,” Johnny Redmond said on Wednesday. However Councillor Keating said that he feels the damage in Kilkee is not affecting business. “It’s not going to affect the business of Kilkee in my book or the people of Kilkee,” he maintained. “Gabriel Keating has some cheek to say that it’s not going to affect business in the town. How would he know about the impact of this on …

AFTER the storm comes the damage assessment and the clean up in County Clare. Hurricane-like conditions, which swept through the county on Wednesday left a trail of destruction in its wake. Winds gusting up to 160kph brought down power supply lines, uprooted trees, leading to numerous road closures, while slates were ripped from houses and property damaged. At the height of Storm Darwin, the ESB estimated that as many as 20,000 homes and businesses were left without power across the county. The south east of the county was worst affected with power outages reported in Killaloe,  Cratloe, Sixmilebridge, Newmarket, Clarecastle, Tulla, Ennis and other pockets of the county. Despite the fact that ESB Networks crews have been out in force trying to restore power supplies, many of those areas still remain without power. The problems facing many home owners have also been exacerbated, as the knock-on effect of outages was the lack of water supply. Many householders could have to …