STORM preparedness came under fire at a meeting of Limerick City and County Council, where councillors pushed for a dedicated emergency helpline for vulnerable residents.
The discussion was instigated by a motion from Cllr Liam Galvin, who sought a review of storm preparations and emergency response planning.
Recalling the impact of last January's cold snap on rural communities, Cllr Galvin said many residents had been left isolated and without essential supplies. "There were people inside in houses cold. There were people inside in houses hungry. There were people inside in houses with medical needs," he said.
"I'd ask in an emergency like that, that we have a specific emergency number where the elderly people, or the people with disabilities, or the people with medical needs can pick up the bloody phone and say, 'I need hot water, I need oxygen, I need food.' What happened nationally was not good enough to serve the people of rural Ireland."