Call for vulnerable Donegal people to get Emergency Household Response Packages

Vulnerable households in Donegal should have access to an Emergency Household Response Package in times of need.

Cllr Niamh Kennedy brought forward the motion to Donegal County Council, saying that in the wake of floods and storms in the county in recent times, there needs to be something available.

Her motion was that the council “imminently seeks funding from the Department to purchase necessary equipment in relation to an Emergency Household Response Package for vulnerable households during the winter months, where storms and flooding may occur, leaving people without power, heating and no ability to access hot food. That this council should have sufficient provisions in stock and in good time to help citizens.” The motion was seconded by Cllr Pauric McGarvey.

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“The council should have sufficient provisions in stock. From last year’s Storm Eowyn and also the floods in recent times, we find ourselves in a bit of a predicament where we had to go and get generators from different sources, and humidifiers had to be sourced. With our own retrofits, once the power and heating go down, there is no source of heat and people cannot have hot food.

“If we had a stock of provisions like gas cookers and heaters, even a basic battery torch, people would have light. I’m thinking about the people who are more vulnerable and living rurally. The Civil Defence were of great benefit, but if we had things in stock, it would help. People’s goods in fridges were destroyed.”

The government provided funding for both businesses and households that got into trouble, although Cllr Kennedy said that some of the applications were awkward.

“A lot of people didn’t avail themselves of it. They thought it was too complicated, or weren’t in a position to. There was a lot of red tape to it, so sometimes something simple like someone calling out with a heater or a cooker could make a world of difference.”

Garry Martin, Director of Economic Development, Emergency Services and Information Systems, said that, subject to the motion being adopted, the Council will write to the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage.