Telecommunications provider eir says 99% of Donegal faults have been repaired following damage caused two weeks ago by Storm Éowyn.
This storm, ranked among the most significant weather events to impact Ireland’s telecommunications infrastructure in recent decades, hit the country on January 24.
“As of today, around 25,897 homes and businesses in Donegal have been reconnected, accounting for 99% of the confirmed faults,” a spokesperson for eir said.
“Out of the approximately 70 mobile sites initially affected by the storm across Donegal, the vast majority have been recovered since last week.
Recovery works continue across the country with priority focus placed on the most severely impacted counties of Donegal, Galway, Mayo, Roscommon, Leitrim, Monaghan, Westmeath, and Longford.
eir says it has redirected all available resources to support its storm response efforts. This includes deploying experienced engineering teams and contractors to bolster repair efforts. Additionally, eir has brought in external staff from outside the jurisdiction to further strengthen response efforts.
Una Stafford, Managing Director open eir Networks, said their priority is to restore service as quickly and safely as possible.
“Since Storm Éowyn struck, we have focused on securing damaged infrastructure, working with the ESB to restore power to critical sites, deploying generators, and clearing fallen trees,” she said.
“Our technicians are working around the clock, and over 265,000 customers nationwide have now been reconnected to fixed voice and broadband services.
While it is still too early to fully assess remaining service disruptions, we remain committed to reconnecting all affected customers, with priority given to vulnerable individuals. We sincerely appreciate our customers’ patience as we work to restore service. A special thank you goes to our dedicated technicians, whose tireless efforts are helping to repair the damage and reconnect customers as swiftly as possible.”
Eir says it has invested over €51 million in Donegal’s telecommunications infrastructure in recent years. The county has also been part of a nationwide plan that has seen over 160,000 poles replaced across the country in the past four years to strengthen its network and reduce outages during extreme weather.
“Donegal’s exchange and mobile network has also benefited from a climate resilience plan that has seen the company has also invested in back-up power, with all 1,250 exchange sites now equipped with back-up power, over 250 critical sites with static generators, and mobile generators at 60+ locations. Additionally, more than 60% of mobile sites have battery back-up. These measures helped mitigate the impact of power cuts during Storm Éowyn, ensuring quicker service restoration for affected customers.”
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