All of us looked with horror at the storms, not least yesterday. Over 200,000 homes are still without electricity. As we know the cost of the damage will run into tens of millions of euro. I wish to ask the Tánaiste about the national co-ordination group. I understand it is meeting this morning to assess the damage. When will the committee report to Government? When will the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government come to the Dáil with a comprehensive report on the damages and the finances that will be required to begin the process of putting things to right?

I can only express surprise that none of the three questions on Leaders' Questions this morning referred to the suffering that a quarter of a million households in this country have endured as a result of the storm damage last night. I had prepared a detailed reply in anticipation that some member of the Opposition would consider the plight of these people sufficiently important to have raised it on Leaders' Questions.

The Tánaiste is trying to dictate what the Opposition should ask questions on. It is pure Stalinism.

We acknowledged the emergency workers working all night.

They missed an opportunity.

They were looking for the Minister, Deputy Ruairí Quinn, to go to a meeting.

What an opposition.

We have been discussing it for the past two days.

We will get Deputy Collins the Minister's number.

Please allow the Tánaiste to reply and then you can have your chance of asking a question properly, rather than shouting at each other.

What a jolly mixture.

We will give Deputy Collins the Minister's mobile telephone number.

That applies to you as well as the other side, Deputy Kehoe.

Over 2,000 ESB Networks staff are out repairing the electricity supply network. They will be supported by contractors that they are bringing in.

They are bringing in crews from Northern Ireland Electricity and they have been mobilised in the worst affected areas.

It is expected that the restoration process will take a number of days. As the damage is assessed, more detailed information will be provided on expected restoration times in local areas. Helicopters are being used by the ESB and they are operating out of Dungarvan and Kilcullen to patrol the lines and assess damage to the network. Patrols will be deployed as necessary throughout the day traversing the south of the country. There are also patrols in a number of specific areas and there is a plan for the restoration of the electricity supply.

Separately, the co-ordination group is meeting now and they are looking at the reports they are getting from the local authorities about the extent of the damage that has been done in addition to the reports from the ESB. Earlier this week, the Government considered the position up to 6 January and made decisions on foot of that. The information continues to come in from local authorities to assess what is needed.

In addition, 350 members of the Defence Forces have been put on standby to assist the local authorities in the work they have to do.

The Tánaiste did not answer the question. When will the co-ordination group report to Government?

It is reporting on an hourly and daily basis to the Minister. This is a serious emergency affecting many people.