Though the Irish Government has considered a number of adaptive measures, it primarily plans to continue studying network resilience before legislating or regulating
DCCS has published its Sectoral Adaptation Plan for securing networks from climate risks
On 14 November 2025, the Irish Government, via the Department of Culture, Communications and Sport (DCCS), published its Communications Networks Sectoral Adaptation Plan (SAP). The SAP responds to obligations set out under the Climate Change and Low Carbon Development Act updated in 2021 that require the Government to develop a National Adaptation Framework that sets out the possible implications of climate change for the country and outlines a strategy for developing adaptation measures in response. In announcing the SAP for the telecoms sector, DCCS highlighted recent storms, including Storm Éowyn in January 2025 and Storm Amy in October 2025, as evidence of changing meteorological conditions already impacting the resilience of networks. According to prior statements published by ComReg, Storm Éowyn resulted in the largest loss of telecoms services in the regulator’s reporting history. While the assessments of climatological impacts and the proposed adaptation measures within the SAP are developed on a five-year cycle (lasting from 2025-2030), the Minister for Communication, Culture and Sport will receive an annual report on progress against the plan’s objectives during that period.
Extreme wind poses the greatest threat to resilience
The SAP details how storms and extreme winds in particular pose a significant threat to the resilience of telecoms services, as was witnessed in the 2024-2025 storm season. Though coastal erosion and flooding also endanger the availability of some infrastructure, including the protection of subsea cables, and can complicate repairs to damaged network components, the potential for increasingly intense winds to damage a range of fixed and mobile assets poses the greatest risk to service continuity and therefore is rated as critical and requiring more adaptation measures. During Storm Éowyn, winds that peaked at 184km/h caused significant damage to networks, including to telephone poles and overhead lines, as well as the electricity infrastructure that powers network assets. A majority (80%) of the damage done to telephone poles was the result of falling trees and other vegetation, which also impacted the ability of operators to access network assets and delayed repairs in some instances. While the SAP also discusses the potential for worsening extreme heat to damage networks or impair services, the Government recommends that these impacts be monitored without immediate recommendation for additional measures.
DCCS looked to Finland and other European countries for inspiration on network asset prioritisation and power resilience
DCCS describes a number of future adaptations under consideration, including for ComReg and industry. Citing Traficom’s framework in Finland, DCCS recommends the creation of a comprehensive framework for prioritising network assets that can guide the commitment of resources for resilience based on the criticality of the asset to wider network functions. In response to consumer frustration with public information on service restorations and to the need for continued data gathering on how different weather events impact different types of network components, the SAP also considers the creation of public dashboards for outage information and further historical analysis of prior network outages. Again looking abroad to the examples of other European countries, DCCS also discusses the potential need for greater power resilience at mobile sites, including through the provisioning of battery back-up.
Beyond more permanent power infrastructure at mobile sites, DCCS also finds that shared infrastructure, such as a national pool of mobile generators, could prove a cost-effective solution to power outages.
The Government will only act on proposals for a network component prioritisation framework, for now
While most of the specific mitigation measures discussed remain under consideration, DCCS does set itself a full agenda of ongoing information gathering, reporting and some actions to advance network resilience alongside ComReg and operators in the coming years. Underlying its more immediate work plan are four core goals in guiding adaptation measures:
Improving awareness of the impacts of climate change on networks and fostering greater cross-sector collaboration;
Investigating risks to resilience to inform prioritisation decisions in committing resources;
Encouraging the development of adaptive measures among industry; and
Preparing operators and other stakeholders for future network outages.
DCCS plans to lead the development of a prioritisation framework for network assets for delivery by Q1 2027 and conduct an investigation of the use of alternative technologies to support service continuity, including satellite services, by Q2 2027. However, with most of its planned activities related to convening continued conversations and gathering more data, the Government is offering limited immediate action to secure networks in advance of the approaching storm season.
