We need your help now
Support from readers like you keeps The Journal open.
You are visiting us because we have something you value. Independent, unbiased news that tells the truth. Advertising revenue goes some way to support our mission, but this year it has not been enough.
If you've seen value in our reporting, please contribute what you can, so we can continue to produce accurate and meaningful journalism. For everyone who needs it.
Sign in. It’s quick, free and it’s up to you.
An account is an optional way to support the work we do. Find out more.
By continuing, you are indicating that you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
THE GOVERNMENT IS exploring the possibility of developing a smartphone weather app that will alert the public to serious weather events.
Minister of State for the OPW and Flood Relief, Kevin ‘Boxer’ Moran said such a weather app would bring real-time alerts directly to people in areas where there are impending serious weather events like flooding.
Some Donegal residents are still devastated from the floods that hit the county last month, which resulted in locals being unable to return to their homes.
Many said they were caught completely off guard by the rain that occurred in late August which resulted in the flash flooding.
“This would allow people in affected areas time to properly prepare in advance by giving them more time to protect their properties, themselves and their families. This would also be of enormous benefit to the farming community,” said the minister, adding that such a system is already in use in countries such as the UK and the USA.
Moran raised the concept with Met Éireann when he visited its headquarters in Glasnevin recently.
“My suggestion received a very good response and it is something that I intended to explore further with the relevant government departments,” he said.
When a weather crisis is pending, every second counts, added the Independent Alliance minister.
“Technology has become a great aid in the assisting of people in times of need. The gardaí have been using the community text-alert system quite successfully now in recent years, targeting particular areas with specific information when needed.
“I think that there is no reason now why we cannot do this for our weather through a dedicated mobile phone app,” concluded Moran.
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
No app needed.
Simple mandatory emergency broadcast text message alert to be sent by all phone companies.
At the same time broadcast it on the radio/tv
We’re not living in twister valley here. There’s time to prepare if there’s warning. Just get the warning out.
@OU812: 100% Text alerts and News
@OU812: Totally agree, the support required to develop apps for all phones is unrealistic, giving there’s a whole generation who wouldn’t know what a smartphone is, nor what an app is. SMS is definitely the way to go.
@OU812: If Donegal had more warning would it help? How on earth can you prepare for awful weather conditions in Ireland?
If only there was some sort of wireless technology where people could be warned over the airwaves via some sort of bulletin or regular updates. Say on the hour or something.
@Gavin Boyce: That sounds innovative. Tell me more about these “airwaves” you speak of….can they be used in such a way that that these updates can be targeted at specific regions? and could a service such as this be funded via local advertising revenues?
Government and Develop in the same sentence, why does that not sound good.
The gobsh*tes will spend 100 million on the app and then it won’t work properly
Why not use the amber and government alerts that’s already available on the iPhone (Emergency alerts on android)? Other countries like the US already use the feature meaning No app required..
Brainwave..I’ll make up something we have aready to be used in rural areas that have no internet. Genius
How about planing a million trees to stop flooding in the first place. Even better go for a billion like Pakistan did recently. An app won’t do that.
Brought to you by the wiffey generation. If you have a smart phone. I’m sure you weren’t one of the people caught out the weather
@john Appleseed: but don’t they need broadband first. Stupid idea, everyone gets weather warning already, utter rubbish
@john Appleseed: weather channel does it already.
Will an app help if you have no coverage? NO! Will it help some politician’s relation with an app development company? YES!
Sure the people in rural areas won’t have any signal to receive the weather alerts because the government still haven’t sorted that issue yet.
every fookin weather app on the planet can do this. i literally have two apps on my phone right now that have this function already. they require internet though, something that’s sparse in Donegal i hear.
I can see it now…Oooo them is dark clouds, think I’ll check my friendly government weather map.
1 hr later….”Initializing ”
Feck the feck off
They didn’t do a very good job of predicting the flooding at the National Ploughing Championships yesterday either. I bet the organisers will be glad when it is all over.
@Chris Kirk: Yes they did. That rain was forecast.
Thank god the government are back from holidays
get these alerts already
So, what are you gonna do when you get the text?
Move your house? Buy a helicopter? Call Hans Brinker?
Just fix the fecking roads never mind a fecking app!! weather warning ?? There’s already a system in place and we have Nuala Carey !
There is already a system in place in some parts of the country it’s called Mapalerter and lets you know of water outages road closure severe weather alerts etc the alerts come from your local council
We already have an app which can be used for all public alerts etc. It is called “Map Alerter” and has been used a long time by Wexford.County Council to inform of emergency road work, broken water mains, flooding. It is very handy.
Do we have to pay for it?
Typical of these idiots in gov. Totally overlooking the sensible solution, text messages, radio etc, going with the app that’s going to cost a fortune to develop and might not work properly.
He usually gets it right.
have your say