MLAs' properties damaged in Storm Eowyn - as politicians struggle to help constituents with communications down
An Ulster Unionist MLA has woken up to damage to his car and home in Carrickfergus this morning, with his garden shed blown into a nearby field – as politicians struggle to report incidents due to failing communications across Northern Ireland.
East Antrim MLA John Stewart says that internet, mobile data and electricity is out in his area – and the only communication still working is mobile phone calls.
It’s a similar picture in mid Ulster where SDLP MLA Patsy McGlone also has no internet connection and is unable to send emails or access the internet on behalf of constituents. He has also struggled with unreliable phone signal.
The Mid Ulster MLA has been unable to get through to to a special hotline for NIE to report a damaged powerline in the Coagh area – which is currently laying on a road. He believes the damage is responsible for a lack of mobile internet service in the area.
In Fermanagh – UUP peer Lord Elliott has suffered damage to sheds and fences on his farm – and is also with any internet access.
Due to the break down in communications – none of the politicians are able to send any images of the damage as there are no internet services available at all – with access only to phone calls.
John Stewart – who lives on high ground in Carrickfergus – told the News Letter he heard a “lot of crashing and banging” in the early hours – and one of his car windows had been damaged by flying debris.
“I’ve lost my garden shed as well, it’s in the next field. But there is some pretty serious damage out there to people’s properties and businesses.
“In terms of power, significant parts of Carrickfergus is out”, he said.
“I was getting pictures sent to me from essential workers who were out this morning. There’s a heck of a lot of roads blocked and damage done by trees”.
He said “there’s no internet, so I’m literally getting by on what it was like back in the day here. I can stand in my bedroom and tales calls… but there’s no data”.
It’s a similar picture in mid Ulster, around Lough Neagh. SDLP MLA Patsy McGlone told the News Letter: “I’m down to using text messages – no whatsapp or anything. No wi-fi, no 3 or 4g.”
He said he’d been cut off from a dedicated hotline for elected representatives to contact NIE. “I spent an hour waiting and the phone just crashed”.
Mr McGlone said he’s received a report of a tree down outside Coagh which had brought down electricity cables and is probably responsible for a lack of communications in the area. He said he would have to report the incident to the police as that was the only avenue he had left.
In North Fermanagh, Ulster Unionist peer Lord Tom Elliott – a farmer – told of damage to his cattle sheds and to fences and was concerned of more damage as the storm progresses.
“The electric has been off quite a bit of the time. It goes off for ten minutes and then back on” the former UUP boss said.
The News Letter has attempted to contact other politicians in rural areas, whose phones appear to be out of range and who aren’t receiving text or whatsapp messages.