SOLDIERS were tonight transporting new power generators across the country, as they began to arrive from Luxembourg, Poland and Denmark.
It comes as 133,000 still remain without power after Storm Eowyn last week.
The Government response to the storm is under scrutiny, with the Cabinet today told it will be the weekend before the majority of people get their power back.
Retired ESB staff have been drafted in to help get power lines back up and running — with work crews also flown in from the UK, Austria, Finland, the Netherlands and France.
Ireland has also been forced to borrow 17 power generators to temporarily run water mains and other facilities around the country while repairs continue.
Two large generators arrived from Denmark today, with the Defence Forces transporting the equipment around the country and providing logistical support.
A further 15 generators are expected to arrive here over the coming days from Denmark, Poland and Luxembourg, as they respond to an urgent EU call to help Ireland.
The latest figures show that there remains 133,000 people without power and 7,000 people without water.
Some 143 emergency hubs have been set up across 15 counties to enable people to shower, charge phones and keep warm.
The Cabinet were today told that the vast majority of the 133,000 people without power will be hooked back up by the end of the week.
However, there was a warning some homes and businesses in remote areas may be without power well into next week.
Clean-up crews have been spotted carrying out extensive repair works nationwide in some of the worst affected areas.
IMAGES OF WRECKAGE
In Inverin, Galway, a wind turbine was blown to the ground during the gale-force winds.
Off the coast of Connemara, on Mweenish Island, shocking photos showed the wreckage after a roof was blown off a house.
In Clare, a number of caravans were spotted overturned following the high winds, while a pier at Liscannor that collapsed has yet to be repaired.
Officials said this is by far the worst storm experienced by ESB Networks, both in terms of customers losing supply and the scale of damage across the network.
POWER BEING RESTORED
ESB Networks said: “We anticipate that the vast majority of customers who lost power during Storm Eowyn will have supply restored by tomorrow night.
“For the remaining customers, they will have power restored over the course of the following week.”
The Department of Education confirmed that a number of schools had suffered “significant damage” during the worst of Storm Eowyn last week.
Tuam Educate Together National School is among a number that have yet to reopen following the record-breaking winds.
‘TERRIBLE PREDICAMENT’
While power has been restored to all other schools in the Galway town, Tuam ETNS remains without electricity.
Acting principal Fiona Feeney told RTE: “It is just a terrible predicament. Across the road from the school the power has come back, but not for us.
“Every day is a waiting game. It is just very frustrating and I’m sure parents are really upset.
“I feel really bad that all of the other schools are back today, but we are not.”
MAJOR DAMAGE
Several schools in Sligo suffered major damage during the storm, including Mercy College, Summerhill College and Curry National School.
Earlier, Gardai spoke out to reassure people who were cut off as a result of storm damage that every effort was being made to get services back up and running.
They also urged members of the public to check in on elderly or vulnerable relatives and neighbours, and to alert emergency services where necessary.
A Garda spokesperson explained: “The National Emergency Co-ordination Group (NECG) continues to coordinate the national response to the impact of Storm Eowyn across the country.”
HEARTLESS SCAMMERS
Cops also warned that heartless scammers were attempting to dupe people in the aftermath of the storm and urged punters to be vigilant.
They added: “Please be careful with unannounced visitors to your home over the coming days. Legitimate employees of State services will always have appropriate branded clothing and identification, and will always be patient while you satisfy yourself as to a person’s identity.”
Meanwhile, thousands of euro has been raised to support the family of a “bright and loving” man who was killed during Storm Eowyn.
Tragic Kacper Dudek, 20, was killed in Raphoe, Co Donegal, when a tree fell on his car at around 5.30am last Friday morning.
HORROR INCIDENT
The young man was on his way home from his workplace at Zeus in Letterkenny at the time of the horror incident.
The Poland native, who had been raised in Lifford, died at the scene.
His devastated father Artur had spoken to his son on the phone just before his death and had been waiting for him to arrive home.
He told a local priest after the tragic death: “He never came home.”
He is survived by parents Artur and Katarzyna Dudek, younger siblings Karol and Weronika, and his girlfriend Molly.
Kacper’s funeral will take place this morning in St Patrick’s Church in Murlog, Lifford, at 10.30am.
This will be followed by a cremation at Lakelands Crematorium.
