There were more than 20 power outages in the Brosna area in the weeks and months before Christmas.
So said Fianna Fáil councillor Fionnán Fitzgerald at yesterday’s full Kerry County Council meeting.
He claimed the electricity supply problem in Brosna, which reached its peak during the cold snap, had been worsening in the weeks up to Christmas.
Cllr Fitzgerald proposed a motion calling on ESB Networks to appear before Kerry County Council in relation to repeated electricity service outages in parts of Kerry over recent months and what is required to improve the situation.
Cllr Fionnán Fitzgerald said there was huge public frustration in the Brosna area in the weeks up to Christmas because of the number and frequency of power outages.
He claimed that many of these outages happened without notice.
He also said there were widespread rumours as to what was causing the outages, such as trees falling on power lines in forestries.
He stated this came to a head when the snow struck, with a power outage causing a water outage in extreme cold weather.
He said the residents of Lyreacrompane frequently experience something similar.
Independent councillor Charlie Farrelly said locals are so frustrated that they are contemplating cutting down trees themselves.
He is convinced the outages were caused by fallen trees.
He said the number of trees that fell between Knocknaboul Cross and Brosna was unbelievable.
Cllr Farrelly said he never thought he would hear stories in 2025 of people melting snow over gas stoves to make baby bottles.
Council management is to send another letter to ESB Networks, reminding them of their invitation to address the council.
