Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Rt Hon James Brokenshire MP said:
I want to pay tribute to the efforts of everyone from the civil contingency groups and the emergency services who have been working diligently to help keep people safe during the last 48 hours as Storm Ophelia hit Northern Ireland.
The close co-operation between these groups mean that effective action was taken to ensure public services and people’s lives were protected.
While there is still more to do, significant efforts have already been put in to see that electricity supplies are restored and debris on our road networks is removed. The recovery operation, which has involved hundreds of people through the night and taken place in very challenging circumstances, will continue over the coming hours.
What we have seen over the last 48 hours is the resilience of Northern Ireland, the resourcefulness and community spirit of its people, and the commitment and professionalism of Northern Ireland’s front line responders.
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