Trees near powerlines in Galway to be removed to safeguard from future Storm Eowyn scenarios
A motion aimed at reducing storm-related damage to power lines by removing trees near electricity infrastructure has been passed by Galway County Council.
Loughrea councillor Michael Regan tabled the motion, calling on Coillte to provide a full report on the proximity of trees to ESB power lines. He also sought a clear plan of action for removing these trees to prevent outages during severe weather.
“Nothing will happen now until there's a storm. Then there's a big hullabaloo, there's a big crisis, and everything is being done,” Cllr Regan told the Irish Independent. “The power is out for two or three weeks, and nothing happens until the next storm.”
He said responsibility for trees on Coillte lands that affect power lines lies with the forestry company.
The meeting heard that the need for a minister-approved felling licence has delayed the removal of some trees. This licence grants authority for tree cutting.
Athenry councillor Seán Broderick suggested that if engineers from the local authority could identify dangerous areas, it could bypass the requirement for a felling licence.
Damage caused by Storm Eowyn is now being cited by councillors as a key example of the need for improved storm-damage prevention, particularly in light of the widespread power outages caused by fallen trees across the county last January.
Galway remained under a Status Red wind warning as the storm battered the west coast, with record-breaking gusts of up to 183km/h recorded at Mace Head. Met Éireann reported a mean wind speed of 135kmh at the Galway station, with the peak gust logged at 5am.
Storm Eowyn left more than 700,000 homes without electricity nationwide, with some households forced to wait weeks before power was fully restored.