MEP: New EU funding can boost responses to major storms
An Irish MEP has said that new funding proposed by the European Parliament will help governments respond to major natural events such as Storm Éowyn.
Midlands North-West MEP Ciaran Mullooly welcomed the parliament’s vote to increase funding for the EU Civil Protection Mechanism and to place "a much greater emphasis" on anticipating emergencies before they hit.
The European Parliament adopted a position calling for nearly €12.5 billion over seven years, a near €1.75 billion increase on an earlier proposal from the European Commission.
The proposal aims to provide funding to anticipate and respond to natural and man-made disasters. Ireland triggered the Civil Protection Mechanism to receive support when Storm Éowyn struck in January 2025.
Mullooly claimed: "During Storm Éowyn, we unfortunately saw no real foresight from the Irish government, despite the repeated warnings received.
"People in many parts of my constituency in the midlands and the west were out of power as a result of these weaknesses for many weeks," he added.
According to the Independent Ireland TD, the vote in the parliament "goes some way to ensuring those calls for a much more urgent response will be heeded in the future".
"We cannot continue to respond only after the damage has been done.
"We need proper planning and early warning systems so that communities are protected before a crisis reaches their doorstep," Mulooly said.
Under the parliament's proposal, 20% of the €12.5 billion will be ringfenced for flexibility funding that can boost the civil protection funding when the need arises.
"We need flexibility to act when these emergencies hit; funding must be available for what is happening on the ground when circumstances change," Mullooly said.
"Emergencies do not always fit neatly into predetermined categories, and local responders must have the resources to respond quickly," he added.
He said that the Civil Protection Mechanism is "one of the clearest examples of European solidarity in action", but that this solidarity "must be backed by resources, planning and political will".
The final details on the Civil Protection Mechanism will not be confirmed until negotiations between the parliament and member states take place.
