No emergency accommodation was activated during Storm Bram in December, Donegal County Council has said.
The Status Orange Wind warning storm brought very strong winds and heavy rain, leaving households across the county without power and forcing a large number of schools to close.
Donegal County Council had activated their Severe Weather Assessment Team on the eve of the storm.
Potential damage the storm could cause had been feared, following on from the devastation Storm Eówyn left in its wake in January 2025. The status red wind warning saw extremely destructive gusts in excess of 130km/h. Warnings of potential impacts of danger to life, extremely dangerous travelling conditions, unsafe working conditions, disruption and cancellations to transport were put in place.
A number of defective concrete homes were damaged in Storm Eówyn. The destruction prompted councillors to call for emergency planning framework to be put in place for those living in defective concrete home for future extreme weather warnings.
100% Redress Party councillor Joy Beard had said that the council’s response was not timely enough, considering that forecasts had predicted the severity of the storm several days before.
She stressed that better planning should be put in place in place for future extreme weather events.
“We must be proactive rather than reactive,” she said.
“These events underline the pressing need for a comprehensive emergency plan,” she had said.
Councillor Martin McDermott had asked Donegal County Council to write to the new housing minister James Browne to request he meet with the defective concrete block committee as a matter of urgency to raise the issues facing homeowners and to put a plan in place.
We asked Donegal County Council if emergency accommodation had been provided during Storm Bram.
In a statement, a spokesperson said: “As with all severe weather events, the Council monitors Met Eireann warnings closely and responses in line with established emergency arrangements. In the case of Storm Bram, conditions did not require the activation of any emergency accommodation response.”
