A union has renewed calls for the introduction of climate leave as parts of Ireland continue to deal with the aftermath of Storm Chandra. Unite made the proposal on Thursday, as flooding and debris caused serious traffic disruptions on road and rail routes.
A burst water main in Dublin's Fairview area added to commuter chaos, while subsidence sent a tree onto the Dart rail route near Portmarnock, temporarily closing the line between Portmarnock and Howth Junction. The line, which also serves Belfast, has since reopened.
Storm Chandra brought heavy winds and torrential rain across the island on Tuesday, causing power outages, flight cancellations, and the closure of 300 schools in Northern Ireland. Rivers burst their banks, including the Slaney in Co Wexford and the Dodder in Dublin, with up to 20,000 properties losing power at the storm's peak.
Unite has called for four days of paid leave when extreme weather prevents travel to work, and four days to address home needs. The union also demands a legal obligation for employers to implement graduated alert-based responses, with non-essential outdoor work ceasing during amber or orange alerts and all non-essential work stopping during red alerts.
Unite Irish secretary Susan Fitzgerald said there was an urgent need to update health and safety legislation to reflect scientific evidence on climate change. Irish Congress of Trade Unions president Phil Ni Sheaghdha added that all employers must be compelled to prioritise staff safety and ensure workers do not pay the price for extreme weather events.
Further rain is expected, with Met Éireann issuing a yellow rain warning for counties Carlow, Kilkenny, Waterford, Wexford, Wicklow, and Dublin. In Northern Ireland, a yellow weather warning is in place from midnight until 6pm on Friday, with potential for 10-25mm of rain and up to 60mm over hills.
