Water Meters and Stormont House
The opening weeks of 2014 were shaped by the exceptional storm sequence of the winter of 2013–14. Successive Atlantic depressions brought strong winds, prolonged rainfall, high tides and damaging seas. Met Éireann recorded storm-force winds on several days between January and February; the combination of saturated ground, storm surges and unusually large waves caused persistent flooding and serious coastal damage, particularly along the southern, western and north-western seaboards. Businesses, homes, roads and harbours all felt the effects. The weather was not merely a dramatic backdrop. It reinforced long-running concerns about coastal protection, drainage, insurance and the capacity of local services to respond to severe events.