‘Soul destroying’: Storm isolation in County Limerick sparks push for dedicated emergency line

STORM preparedness came under fire at a meeting of Limerick City and County Council, where councillors pushed for a dedicated emergency helpline for vulnerable residents.

The discussion was instigated by a motion from Cllr Liam Galvin, who sought a review of storm preparations and emergency response planning.

Recalling the impact of last January’s cold snap on rural communities, Cllr Galvin said many residents had been left isolated and without essential supplies. “There were people inside in houses cold. There were people inside in houses hungry. There were people inside in houses with medical needs,” he said.

“I’d ask in an emergency like that, that we have a specific emergency number where the elderly people, or the people with disabilities, or the people with medical needs can pick up the bloody phone and say, ‘I need hot water, I need oxygen, I need food.’ What happened nationally was not good enough to serve the people of rural Ireland.”

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His motion was seconded by Cllr Elena Secas, who said that the problems seen in rural Limerick were also experienced in urban housing estates, where untreated roads left some residents unable to attend medical appointments.

Several councillors endorsed the call for a dedicated line. Cllr Jerome Scanlan said such a number was “essential,” praising communities and agricultural contractors who kept roads passable. “We need to have an emergency response in particular for those that are in poor health.”

Others raised concerns about the performance of the existing out-of-hours emergency system. Cllr Bridie Collins described contacting the local authority during a flooding incident in Adare only to reach a call handler based in the United States.

“It was really shocking. There was no confidence,” she said. “I was asked several times if it was city-based or county-based. I haven’t time to explain where Adare is – there’s a house about to flood.”

Cllr Collins added: “It was really soul destroying to have people in need and not to get through to somebody who knew where we were in the world.”

“I know it's a contract... Could we please if we're going to contract an outside company could we please have some sort of training so that they know where they are?"

Questions were also raised about indemnity for volunteers assisting during emergencies. Cllr John Sheahan said uncertainty around insurance deterred potential helpers and called for contractors to be pre-listed and covered when assisting the council.

On flooding responses, Cllr Gregory Conway said residents had been told by 999 operators that the fire service would not be dispatched unless lives were at risk. He urged the local authority to seek clarity on national call-out protocols.

Responding, Pat Daly, Director General of Limerick City and County Council, said the council continually reviews lessons learned after each storm. He acknowledged issues with the emergency phone line and said further training and improvements would take place.

“We need to have specific storm emergency details up on the website,” he said, adding that a leaflet drop ahead of winter may also be necessary. He noted that storms were becoming more intense and that responses must adapt.

Mr Daly said: “We've had very difficult situations and it's kind of clear we debrief after each event, we look at what went right, what went wrong, what went better, effects we could put in place so we will continue to do that.”

The council confirmed that its Winter Maintenance Plan had been submitted to the Department of Transport and that stocks of salt, snowploughs, gritting trucks and essential equipment were in place. Priority routes will continue to be treated, and parks and boardwalks will be closed when severe weather warnings are issued. Hotel accommodation has also been secured to ensure drivers remain available during extended response operations.