BILL TO BE LOW FOR STORM

STORM Emma is expected to have cost Sligo County Council in the region of 50,000 to 100,000 euro.

The actual figure will be released by the Council in the next fortnight, the March County Council meeting heard yesterday (Monday).

Giving a briefing to members, Director of Services Tom Kilfeather said Sligo was “fortunate” to escape the worst of the storm and the infamous ‘Beast from the East’.

Most of the cost will consist of staff overtime and the fact that the Council called on the services of the Fire Brigade to remain on standby from 4pm Thursday 1st March to the next day when they were stood down.

Support from the Defence Forces was available but not needed in the Sligo region, he told mem- bers.

Sampling of the water in Lough Talt was halted during the cold spell but is expected to resume this week. The Boil Water Notice remains in place in the meantime.

Civil Defence crews helped the HSE last Thursday and Sligo Meals on Wheels last Friday.

“We were extremely fortunate in Sligo compared to nationally,” said Mr Kilfeather.

But he warned that extreme weather events such as last week and Storm Ophelia were becoming “more frequent”.

All Councillors paid tribute to the staff of Sligo County Council who were “shovel ready” to help the public and keep members informed. Chief Executive Ciaran Hayes said the color coded warnings issued by Met Éireann were “to be taken very seriously” and were issued for a reason.