Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 26 November 2025
188. Deputy Joanna Byrne asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport if the Telecommunications Response and Resilience Group (T-RRG), chaired by his Department will initiate a plan to ensure telecommunications poles are protected in future storms by identifying dangerous trees and initiating a tree cutting plan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [66515/25]
View answer189. Deputy Joanna Byrne asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport if the Telecommunications Response and Resilience Group (T-RRG) has identified measures to ensure that there are no future extended losses of connectivity for vulnerable people using a health monitoring/pendant alarm, as happened after storm Éowyn; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [66516/25]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 188 and 189 together.
Storm Éowyn had an unprecedented impact on telecommunications networks. The impact of power loss on the sector during the storm, and delays to repair of overhead lines in some areas afterwards, had significant effects on citizens, particularly in rural areas of the North and West.
Since then my Department has undertaken significant engagement with a variety of stakeholders to address gaps in sectoral preparedness and response.
Operators have independently assessed their preparedness and committed to a variety of network-specific measures, including:
• reviewing the power requirements of sites
• acquiring additional back up battery and generator capacity
• preventative network maintenance
• enhancing redundancy with back-up routes to their core networks
• accelerating the use of satellites to provide additional resilience
My Department has formed the Telecommunications Response and Resilience Group (T-RRG), the purpose of which is to promote resilience and high availability of Ireland’s telecommunications infrastructure and to provide a coordinated sectoral emergency response capability.
The members of the group, which includes Government stakeholders, ComReg and industry, has agreed an initial workplan to include the development of measures to
• improve the physical and power resilience of networks
• coordinate and communicate more effectively during emergencies
• prioritise key infrastructure to provide minimum levels of connectivity during emergencies
The focus of the groups early efforts is to improve a) the resilience of telecommunications sites, particularly mobile, and b) communications and coordination between response stakeholders.
These broad, impactful and achievable measures will restore connectivity more quickly to all customers during emergencies, including those whose connection is impacted by treefall, or who rely on using health monitoring/pendant alarms.
The long-term development of the T-RRG into more detailed response and resilience measures will be at the consensus of the group’s membership and in conjunction with other impacted stakeholders.
The issues of vegetation and forestry management and vulnerable persons are, per the review of Storm Éowyn published in October by the Department of Housing, complex and multisectoral and will likely require an all-of-Government approach.
