'You knew this was coming' - Woman confronts Taoiseach on fallout of Storm Éowyn

Thousands of homes and businesses are still without power and water

A woman has vented her frustrations to Micheál Martin earlier today as her, along with thousands of others across Ireland, have been without power and water since the destructive Storm Éowyn blew across the country last week.

The Taoiseach was visiting an emergency hub in Roscommon on Tuesday morning for people who have no power and water.

Rachel Connolly, a resident of Castlerea, confronted the Taoiseach and said she has lost power in her area four times in the last 12 months and that her, and the other residents, are very concerned over the loss of food that they've had to throw out due to the frequent power cuts.

In a video posted on X by Virgin Media News, Rachel Connolly says,

"There's a lot of people here, myself and out there, who are very concerned about the loss of food...this is my fourth time to have lost power in the last 12 months.

"Why didn't you do something? Why didn't you have something in place before...you knew this was coming."

Mr Martin, who was holding a cup of tea, tried to rebuttal and say things were in place, but Ms Connolly cut him off saying,

"No you didn't. I have no power coming until the 5th of February...the only person who prepared for this in my home, and in my village, is the people who live there.

"I have had no contact from any member of any authority of any part of the Government...You need to get the Dáil, you need to bring it up here to the Western Development Commission, you go and sit there, and hold the Dáil there for two days with no power and no water...I tell ya, we'll have no knee jerk reaction then."